George Alagiah was a renowned British newsreader, journalist and television news presenter who died at the age of 67 on 24 July 2023 after a long battle with bowel cancer. He was best known for presenting the BBC News at Six for 20 years, as well as being an award-winning foreign correspondent who reported from countries such as Rwanda, Iraq and Somalia. In this article, we will look at his life, career, family, wife, salary, net worth and more. We will also share the latest news and tributes to him from his colleagues and fans.
George Alagiah Biography Profile
| Field Information | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | George Maxwell Alagiah |
| Nickname | George |
| Date of Birth | 22 November 1955 |
| Birth Place | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Age (as of 2023) | 67 |
| Gender | Male |
| Zodiac sign | Sagittarius |
| Profession | Journalist, newsreader |
| Nationality | British |
| Ethnicity | Sri Lankan Tamil |
| Home Town/State | London, England |
| School | St John’s College, Portsmouth |
| College | Durham University |
| Educational Qualification | BA in Politics |
| Religion | Christian |
| Hobbies | Reading, writing, gardening |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Frances Robathan |
| Net Worth | £2 million (estimated) |
Early Life and Education
George Alagiah was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka to Donald Alagiah, an engineer, and Therese Alagiah, a nurse. His parents were Christian Tamils who faced ethnic violence in their homeland. They moved to Ghana when George was five years old, where his father worked on water projects. George attended Christ the King International School in Accra. When he was 11, his parents decided to send him to England for his education.
He boarded at St John’s College, a Catholic school in Portsmouth. He faced some racism and bullying there, but also developed his interest in journalism and politics. He went on to study politics at Van Mildert College, Durham University, where he met his future wife Frances Robathan, a history student. They married in 1984 and had two sons, Adam and Matt.
Must Read : Who is Frances Robathan? (George Alagiah wife)
Family Details
| Field Information | Name |
|---|---|
| Father Name | Donald Alagiah |
| Mother Name | Therese Alagiah |
| Brother(s) | Charles Alagiah |
| Sister(s) | None |
| Wife/Husband | Frances Robathan |
| Children | Adam Alagiah, Matt Alagiah |
Carrier Highlight:
George Alagiah started his career as a print journalist for South Magazine in 1982. He joined the BBC in 1989 as a foreign correspondent based in London. He covered many major stories across Africa, Asia and Europe, such as the famine and war in Somalia, the genocide in Rwanda, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Gulf War and the Kosovo War. He won several awards for his reporting, including Amnesty International’s journalist of the year in 1994 and a Bafta nomination in 1995. He also wrote two books: A Passage to Africa (2001), a memoir of his experiences as a reporter; and The Burning Land (2009), a novel set in South Africa.
In 2002, he became one of the main presenters of BBC Four News. In 2007, he took over as the presenter of the BBC News at Six, one of the most watched news programmes in the UK. He also presented GMT on BBC World News from 2010 to 2014. He was known for his calm and authoritative style of delivery, as well as his compassion and empathy for the people he interviewed. He was appointed an OBE for services to journalism in 2008.
In 2014, he was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer that had spread to his liver and lymph nodes. He underwent several rounds of chemotherapy and surgery, but continued to work as much as possible. He returned to the BBC News at Six in November 2015 after a year-long absence. In January 2018, he announced that his cancer had returned and that he would undergo further treatment. In October 2022, he revealed that his cancer had spread further and that he had been given months to live. He died peacefully on 24 July 2023 surrounded by his family and loved ones.
Physical Stats and More:
| Field Information | Value |
|---|---|
| Height (Approx.) | 178 cm |
| Weight (Approx.) | 75 kg |
| Body Type | Slim |
| Figure Size | N/A |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Hair Length | Short |
| Shoe Size | N/A |
George Alagiah Net Worth
George Alagiah’s net worth is not publicly disclosed, but some sources have estimated it to be around $1.5 million or $2 million. He has earned his fortune from his successful journalism career, which spans over four decades. He has been a prominent news presenter and foreign correspondent for the BBC, covering major global events and winning several awards. He has also published several books and articles based on his personal and professional experiences.
Favorite Things
| Field Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Favorite Colour | Blue |
| Favorite Actor | Omar Sharif |
| Favorite Actress | Meryl Streep |
| Favorite Movies | The Godfather |
| Favorite Singers | Stevie Wonder |
| Favorite Food | Curry |
| Favorite Designers | N/A |
| Favorite Books | To Kill a Mockingbird |
| Favorite Dance Form | N/A |
| Favorite Wear | Suits |
| Favorite Animal | Dogs |
| Favorite Car | N/A |
| Favorite Things to Do | Reading, writing, gardening |
| Favorite Sports | Cricket |
| Favorite Sports Person | Sachin Tendulkar |
| Favorite Destination | South Africa |
Lifestyle
- Does he smoke? No
- Does he consume alcohol? Occasionally
- Does he drive? Yes
- Does he know cooking? Yes
- Does he swim? Yes
- Is he a practitioner? No
- Does he go to the gym? No
- Is he a jogger? No
- Does he travel? Yes
- Does he have pets? No
- Does he play any instruments? No
- Does he have any tattoos? No
Social Media Handles
| Social Media Platform | Handle/Username |
|---|---|
| TikTok | N/A |
| N/A | |
| @BBCAlagiah | |
| Facebook Page | N/A |
Who was George Alagiah?
George Alagiah was a British newsreader, journalist and television news presenter. He was the presenter of the BBC News at Six from 2007 until 2022, and was previously the main presenter of GMT on BBC World News from 2010 until 2014. He was also an award-winning foreign correspondent, reporting from countries such as Rwanda, Iraq, Somalia and South Afric
How did George Alagiah die?
George Alagiah died peacefully on Monday morning surrounded by his family and loved ones, according to his agent. He had been diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2014 and had undergone several rounds of chemotherapy and surgery. He revealed in October 2022 that the cancer had spread further.
What did George Alagiah achieve in his career?
George Alagiah achieved many accolades and recognition in his career as a journalist and news presenter. He won awards for his reports on the famine and war in Somalia in the early 1990s, and was nominated for a Bafta in 1994 for covering Saddam Hussein’s genocidal campaign against the Kurds of northern Iraq. He was also named Amnesty International’s journalist of the year in 1994, for reporting on the civil war in Burundi, and was the first BBC journalist to report on the genocide in Rwanda. He was appointed an OBE for services to journalism in 2008
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