To be fair, Alagiah, 66, has offered the occasional update on his health over the past eight and a half years. On my wife's side, somebody asked my father-in-law, who was a country lawyer: "Is this Ala-whatsit educated?". [5] In 1961, his parents moved to Ghana in West Africa, where he had his primary education at Christ the King International School. 2023 BBC. His own main contribution to promoting the hopeful message that you can live, and live well, with cancer has been to continue reading the news on the BBC. No one uses the d-word. Alagiah was last seen on the show in 2014. He is married to Frances Robathan, with whom he has two sons. In 2020, though, the Sri-Lankan born newsreader revealed it had spread to his lungs. Photograph: Eamonn McCabe for the Guardian. The 64-year-old BBC News At Six presenter is undergoing further treatment after doctors found cancer had now spread from his bowel to his liver, lymph nodes and lungs. Ive had an amazing gift of a life for a man who was born into a house without a proper toilet. There is no joy sometimes without sadness and they feed off each other. He pauses, as if to ask himself if he is really going to say what he is about to say. he said. From 1999 to 2002, he was the deputy anchor of the BBC One OClock News and BBC Nine OClock News. BBC News BBC presenter George Alagiah will be taking a break from TV after discovering his cancer has spread further, his agent has said. As well as presenting the news, Alagiah has worked as a BBC News foreign correspondent and specialist on Africa and the developing world, covering events including the Rwandan genocide and interviewing Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. If I were their age, I'd like to be their friend. It is very technical so you have to be careful. Had I joined then, Id have entered a very white world, dominated by people from a certain class and set of institutions. Alagiah has also worked as a BBC News foreign correspondent and specialist on Africa and the developing world, covering events including the Rwandan genocide and interviewing Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. If the full stop came now, would my life have been a failure? George's Photo George Alagiah Wife Unsure of what was happening, I laughed along with them. You have to work that out for yourself.". The news was confirmed by his agent Mary Greenham. He learned to bake cakes for the grandchildren and was really sweet with her. When I called her, she was walking out of the Marsden [Londons leading cancer hospital], having had her own regular scan to see if the cancer was spreading. The award-winning BBC news presenter talks about his ongoing eight-year struggle with cancer and the rejuvenating role of the workplace. Each day, news reporters, forecasters and presenters work hard to gather information and deliver to public via news programs, radio and news papers. Find out more, George Alagiah: You cant get a cancer diagnosis without knowing about Macmillan because they are everywhere, George presenting from Cairo during the Egyptian revolution, George was a familiar sight on our screens as a BBC newsreader, Project Fear authors discussed when to deploy new Covid variant, Matt Hancock's plan to frighten the pants off everyone about Covid, Rishi Sunak has questions to answer on the true nature of his Protocol deal, The dreadful consequences of Matt Hancock's lockdown scare tactics, Rishi Sunak's Brexit deal is more threadbare than reckless Tories will admit, Trump gets rapturous reception at major US Republican conference, knowing about Macmillan because they are everywhere. He continues: 'The thing about bowel cancer is, it is all about poo and bums and people dont like talking about them. He adds: ''One of the things I want to do is hold hands with my wife until the end, and am I going to be able to do that? After the Asian tsunami in 2004, he went back to his grandfather's original home in Sri Lanka to look at the damage. Today we are discussing about George Alagiah from Sri Lanka, who is one of the prominent journalist of BBC. Family Tree. Since 3rd July 2006, George presented World News Today on BBC World News and BBC Two on 1st February 2010. By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Not every day.'. 'What I have is a tumour that is resting very close to the spine and, as far as doctors can make out, has eroded a bit of a vertebra. Diagnosed with cancer Adam is 34 years old and Matthew is 30 years old as of 221. His parents moved to Ghana, West Africa, in 1961, where he attended Christ the King International School for his primary education. He was first diagnosed with bowel cancer in April 2014; the terrifying journey of the guy. BBC newsreader George Alagiah was first diagnosed with bowel cancer in April 2014. The back pain is currently not so bad as it has been. Both of their sons, Adam and Matthews are adults. Up to when I was six, we lived in Sri Lanka, then my father got a job for the government in Ghana. He has two younger sisters and two older sisters. [27], Alagiah at the launch of the Hadrian's Wall, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, "BBC's George Alagiah to take break from TV after cancer spread", "Coming Soon to America With News of the World", "My family values: George Alagiah | Family", "Statement on George Alagiah as Patron of the Fairtrade Foundation", "BBC move on George Alagiah's Fairtrade role brings 200 complaints", "George Alagiah's debut novel up for author's award", "The Burning Land by George Alagiah | Waterstones", "Newsreader George Alagiah: If only I'd had the Scottish cancer test", "George Alagiah diagnosed with bowel cancer", "Latest from medics - I'm making encouraging progress", "BBC newsreader George Alagiah announces cancer treatment is over", "BBC newsreader George Alagiah 'clear of cancer' and back to work", "BBC newsreader George Alagiah to undergo more treatment as cancer returns", "BBC newsreader George Alagiah reveals his cancer has returned", "Scottish health system quicker to spot cancer, says George Alagiah", "George Alagiah reveals his cancer has spread", "George Alagiah takes TV break after cancer spreads", BBC World: George Alagiah joins BBC World to present new peak-time news programme, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_Alagiah&oldid=1137084228, Journalist, News presenter, newsreader, author, This page was last edited on 2 February 2023, at 18:34. That day, it was OK. Alagiah told her he would ring back, that the most important thing was to rush home and tell family. As a five-year-old, George Alagiah emigrated with his family to Ghana - the first African country to attain independence from the British Empire. The BBC newsreader was first diagnosed with the disease several . George Alagiah is taking a break from presenting the BBC's News At Six after saying scans showed his cancer has spread further.. There he began attending 'Christ the King International', a primary school. 'Im not too scared for myself, but Im here on the third floor of our house. George, a specialist on Africa and the developing world, has conducted interviews with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, among others. What kind of architecture do we need? Apart from Frances, my wife, my sisters are my closest friends. After graduating from college, George enrolled at Van Mildert College and Durham University to study politics. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. In 1982, he began his first journalistic role for international magazine South, before joining the BBC in 1989. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter'. Donald and Therese, both of his parents, were Sri Lankan Tamil, and was the only son in a family with four sisters. Jamie Phillips For Mailonline The elder one is doing international development and I think Matthew could be a writer. Alagiah was born in Colombo, Ceylon to his parents, Donald Alagiah, an engineer, and Therese, who were Sri Lankan Tamil. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Its has been decades, George has been working for BBC, and no doubt he gets paid in huge numbers. His public profile made it inevitable, when he shared his cancer diagnosis in 2014, that there were approaches from charities wanting to involve him. "He is grateful for all the good wishes he has received thus far and is optimistic for a positive outcome.". After his graduation, George served at South Magazine in 1982 and later worked for the British Broadcasting Corporation, where Alagiah became Developing World correspondent in London. Its still happening 28 years later. He is the third born. Understanding sadness, he reflects, helps you understand joy. He was born November 22, 1955 in Colombo, Ceylon. The things that had gone well far outweighed the others, which brought me to a place of total contentment. George Alagiah has revealed he has a 'tumour site' at the base of his back and has spent 18 months in 'extreme pain' - as he opens up on an eight-year battle with bowel cancer. He is the third born. George Alagiah: I'm lucky for the life I've had, but cancer will probably get me in the end The BBC newsreader, 66, says he has resolved to enjoy the present moment By Victoria Ward 3 January. When my cancer got into my lungs they arranged for us to have a conversation because it had got into hers too. If they all knew what I thought on every topic we report on, wed lose some of them. George Maxwell Alagiah OBE is a British newsreader, journalist, and news presenter who began his career as a reporter and correspondent for the BBC in 1989. That is clearly nonsense. From 2002 to 2009, Alagiah was a patron of the Fairtrade Foundation[9] from which in July 2009, he was obliged to resign by BBC Management who claimed professional conflict of interest. British journalist and reader of BBC News at Six, George Alagiah has declared that he would be taking time off from his presenting duties after it was discovered through a scan that his bowel cancer has spread. [17][25], In June 2020 Alagiah said that the cancer had spread to his lungs, liver and lymph nodes, but was not at a "chronic" or "terminal" stage. [5] He lives in Stoke Newington, North London. Through my work I've seen the world at its worst and I often wish I could make it better. George married Frances Robathan in 1984. George Alagiah captures the essence of the emerging global village. I definitely remember thinking that I didnt want to be defined by my disease., Now he realises that he has something to contribute. Moreover, he was sabbatical officer of Durham Students' Union. Prior to that, he had been the deputy anchor of the BBC One O'Clock News and BBC Nine O'Clock News from 1999. For more celebrity details, stick on marriedceleb. My children go to a school attended by some 70 nationalities. Copyright 2021, All Right Reserved MARRIEDCELEB. Speaking on the podcast with ex-Downing Street director of communications Craig Oliver, Alagiah said that when his cancer was first diagnosed, it took a while for him to understand what he "needed to do". He has hosted World News Today on BBC World News and BBC Two from 3 July 2006, when it was relaunched GMT on 1 February 2010. His wider family had a reunion recently, all four sisters, most of my nieces and nephews. [17] The couple have two children, Adam and Matthew. George has a grandaughter but we have no details about her Find Out His Bowl Cancer Update Taking a job at South magazine informed how I report on international affairs to this day. He was formerly a relief presenter on BBC News at Ten, presenting mainly Monday to Thursday when main presenters Huw Edwards and Fiona Bruce were unavailable. I was nearly killed by a shell in Afghanistan. BBC newsreader George Alagiah has said he feels 'lucky' for the life he has lived even though cancer will 'probably get me in the end'. Since 3rd December 2007, George is the sole presenter of the Six O'Clock News. In a statement, he said "it's back to the tough stuff" after a scan showed his cancer had spread further. Their second son Matthew Alagiah was born in 1991. He returned to presenting duties the following year after making progress against the disease, saying at the time he was a 'richer person' for it. My dad is 85 and very frail; he lives in a wonderful residential home, but it's a 35-minute drive. BBC News star George Alagiah will be taking a break from screens Credit: BBC The 66-year-old was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in 2014 and stepped back from broadcasting in October last. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. He covered everything from the Rwandan genocide to the hardship of the Marsh Arabs in southern Iraq to the civil wars in Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Somalia as one of the BBCs top international correspondents. [20] In late October 2015 he announced on Twitter that the treatment was officially over, and he returned to the BBC on 10 November. George Alagiah was born Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 22 November 1955 - that makes him 65. . Discover George Alagiah's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. [5] In 1961, his parents moved to Ghana in West Africa, where he had his primary education at Christ the King International School. ', "And actually, when I look back and I looked at my journey the family I had, the opportunities my family had, the great good fortune to bump into (Frances Robathan), who's now been my wife and lover for all these years, the kids that we brought up it didn't feel like a failure.". He is one of the famous journalist for BBC, where Carol Kirkwood also serves as a journalist. By the time it came to me, they just wanted good people. Adam Alagiah was born in the year 1987 and is now 34 years old. I go into the clinic to start off each dose of chemo, then I come home with a little pump that hangs around my waist for three days. George Alagiah was born on the 22nd of November, 1955. There have been times when even lying down makes it worse.'. 09:57 GMT 04 Sep 2022 In January 2003 he joined the BBC Six O'Clock News, which he co-presented with Sophie Raworth until October 2005, and with Natasha Kaplinsky until October 2007. With friends, family and colleagues Ive shared experiences and thoughts that we otherwise wouldnt have had. Since the marriage, George and Frances shares two children togethers. George Alagiah said his life and family "didn't feel like a failure" BBC newsreader George Alagiah has said he thinks the cancer he has had since 2014 will "probably get me in the end", but that . George Alagiah has shared his belief his diet may have something to do with him first being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2014. She even waited until my birthday. @SchoolsWeek. His wife Frances Robathan has supported him on his journey to fight the disease. He says: 'It is near my L5 lowest vertebra. George grew up alongside his four siblings Mari, Christine, Rachel, and Jennifer. There was that sense of abandonment, of God, I am leaving these young men [his sons] and my wife. Furthermore, Alagiah was a member of the BBC crew that won a BAFTA award for its coverage of the Kosovo crisis in 2000. As of 2019, George's total net worth is estimated to be $3 million, which is more than another BBC journalist Susannah Streeter, whose net worth is still under review. Alagiah was born in Colombo, Ceylon on 22 November 1955. In 2004, he turned to his grandfather's original home in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami to survey the damage. He wrote for and became editor of the student publication Palatinate while at Durham. The 66-year-old newsreader, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2014, announced he was taking a break from his presenting duties in October last year. Disappointing stats on NTP uncovered by. Alagiah first joined BBC News at Six (1984) as a newsreader in 2003 and became a much-recognized face of BBC news, also presenting slots in BBC News at Ten (2000) and BBC One O'Clock News (1986), among others. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? You can't do that in a terraced house. BBC newsreader George Alagiah, 66, last night said his bowel cancer was going to 'find a way through the drugs sooner or later' after announcing the disease had spread further. You cant get a cancer diagnosis without knowing about Macmillan because they are everywhere, he explains. He said in June 2020 that the cancer had spread to his lungs, liver and lymph nodes. On 28th June, Alagiah announced on his Twitter account that he was making "encouraging progress". In the seat I regularly occupy on the BBC News at Six, I speak to millions of people. Ive spent a lot of the last 18 months in extreme pain. Only in my late 30s did I open it again, to explore my heritage. Alagiah was born in Colombo, Ceylon on 22 November 1955. Before joining BBC, he served for seven years in print journalism with South Magazine. The cancer returned in 2017 and he underwent further treatment before again returning to work. BBC newsreader George Alagiah announced in October 2021 he is taking a break from presenting, after his cancer spread further.His wife Frances Robatha . Moreover, Alagiah served as the presenter of BBC Four News from 2002. It is invented by nature to get you through anything. He draws a comparison with tight spots he got into in his award-winning career as a BBC foreign correspondent. 3 January 2022 George Alagiah said his life and family "didn't feel like a failure" BBC newsreader George Alagiah has said he thinks the cancer he has had since 2014 will "probably get me. Had it happened 10 seconds later, I would have been blown up with it. Please review our, You need to be a subscriber to join the conversation. Amid the economic collapse, there is a widespread sense of how did this happen. ', "And actually, when I look back and I looked at my journey the family I had, the opportunities my family had, the great good fortune to bump into (Frances Robathan), who's now been my wife and lover for all these years, the kids that we brought up it didn't feel like a failure.". Alagiah now uses breathing techniques to calm himself and help deal with the pain caused by the tumour. By (BBC) George Alagiah has announced that he will be stepping back from presenting BBC News after scans confirmed his cancer has spred further. George kicked off his professional journalism career in 1989, when he joined the BBC network. As a BBC presenter, he earned 315,000 319,999 in 2018-2019. I'm hoping it's a long time from now, but I'm very lucky.". So, I understand it, but Im afraid I no longer have it. He thinks for a moment. Recalling the. The journalist and Sheridan Smith are among those who have. George and his partner are living together since thirty four years and still seems to be happy and caring for each other. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. However, in January 2018, the cancer had complexes and Alagiah had to undergo for treatment again. His has been, he says, a blessed life. In a casual pink and orange T-shirt, he is sitting in the family picture-lined top-floor office of his large and attractively lived-in north London home, shared with his wife of 38 years, former charity worker (at the Fairtrade Foundation) Frances Robathan. Sexuality: N/A. Not every day., For the only time in our conversation, he turns away. Since December 2007 George has presented BBC News at 6, Britain's most-watched news programme. Both are sons, Adam Alagiah (23 years old) and Matthew Alagiah (19 years old). 'More importantly, it is sitting very close to the nerve and the aorta. Both of them have comepleted their high school, whereas the elder son Adam is enrolled into international developement and the younger is busy on building his career as a writer. Read about our approach to external linking. George Maxwell Alagiah OBE (/la/ born 22 November 1955)[2][3] is a British newsreader, journalist and television news presenter. We're in that transition period that other parents worry about: the loss of control and so on. [12][13] He has also been actively involved in supporting microfinance as a tool for development, including recent appearances in support of Opportunity International. I call it getting comfort. George spent his childhood in Colombo and belongs to Srilankan-British nationality. We are first generation immigrants from India. Frances has never bothered about her kids as they love to follow in their father's footsteps. He began his career as a newsreader for BBC News at Six (1984) in 2003, and went on to become a well-known face of BBC news, hosting shows such as BBC News at Ten (2000) and BBC One OClock News (1986), among others. His income is mainly from his successful career as a broadcast journalist. And that becomes acute after three days of chemo. Learned politics at Van Mildert College, Durham University. He was a sabbatical officer of the Durham Students Union. My sons Adam and Matthew, who are 23 and 19, are amazing guys. He has won numerous awards including Best International Report at the Royal Television Society in 1993 and in 1994 was the overall winner of the Amnesty International UK Media Awards. the opportunities my family had, the . Alagiah together with his lovely wife have two children namely Matthew Alagiah and Adam Alagiah Is George Alagiah married? The duo tied the knot in 1984 and they have two sons, Adam Alagiah and Matthew Alagiah. Health Gap. But Ive got amazing colleagues at the BBC who step in to my place on the rota.. It was when legislative discrimination against the Tamils was beginning in Sri Lanka. George Alagiah has revealed he has undergone more than 100 rounds of chemotherapy and has spent a lot of the past 18 months in 'extreme pain' as he shared an update on his stage four bowel. After global riots in 2007 and 2008, George Alagiah travelled the world to reveal why we could be heading for . The question keeps popping up. For more updates and current gossip of celebs visit our official page. On being diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2014, I constructed a pros and cons list of how my life had gone so far. The. How old is George Alagiah? The thing about bowel cancer is, it is all about poo and bums and people dont like talking about them. The BBC turned me down three times at the start of my career, and Im grateful. Alagiah reported on Twitter on June 28 that he was making encouraging progress. He announced the end of his treatment on Twitter in late October 2015, and he returned to the BBC on November 10th. He looks slim and perfect this time. Alagiah would undergo 17 rounds of chemotherapy and three major operations. There seemed something so powerful in a new life entering the world while another, mine, was so compromised. 'By the time I walk out of that newsroom at seven oclock in the evening, having been there since the morning, I am absolutely knackered physically, but mentally I am rejuvenated. According to the BBC, it would be improper for one of its top journalists to be seen promoting a campaign that plainly reflects a controversial view of global trade, in keeping with its values of impartiality. Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. "Illness sometimes teaches a person the real worth of life." But he said he was able to look back at the "great good fortune" in his life. [6] As one of the BBC's leading foreign correspondents, he reported on events ranging from the genocide in Rwanda to the plight of the Marsh Arabs in southern Iraq to the civil wars in Afghanistan, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Somalia.[6]. He has two younger sisters and two older sisters. "I spent a lot of my time in Africa, and in South Africa they have a word: Ubuntu. George Alagiah: I have a tumour site in my lower back - I've spent a lot of time in pain'. Ive not had the anger but it takes quite a lot anyway to get me angry. George Alagiah's age is 67. Frances Robathan, 61, is the wife of BBC News at Six presenter George Alagiah, 66. Alagiah then took a role reading the Six O'Clock News in 2007. After 18 months of fighting with colorectal cancer, George must have wondered if he would ever returnto his old life and the job he loves most. However, there are no details regardinng his wife. Born in Sri Lanka, the middle child in a family of five, and the only boy, his parents Donald and Therese - Tamil Catholics, a minority group in the island's population - left for west Africa. Ultimately, in October 2015, George announced on Twitter that his treatment was over and went back to the BBC on 10th November. He was first diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in. He grew up with his four siblings and holds a British nationality. What I have is a tumour that is resting very close to the spine and, as far as doctors can make out, has eroded a bit of a vertebra. Alagiah, 66, has been married to wife Frances, an executive with the Fairtrade Foundation charity, for 36 years. George Maxwell Alagiah OBE is a British newsreader, journalist, and television news presenter. . He even manages to smile as he says it. And I am looking out of the window at Frances setting out the tablecloth on our garden table, and it occurs to me, is she going to have to do that for herself one day, and eat on her own?, The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. Speaking on the podcast Desperately Seeking Wisdom he said that when his cancer was first diagnosed, it took a while for him to understand what he "needed to do". The BBC News at Six broadcaster, 66, was diagnosed with bowel . Frances went to Durham University, where she met her husband. More importantly, it is sitting very close to the nerve and the aorta. By the end of the three days Ive been on it so much that my fingernails are beginning to fall off. He holds them up to the camera to demonstrate. On 28 June, Alagiah announced on Twitter that he was making "encouraging progress". I see the injustice of whats happening in the US with the death of George Floyd. It comes following the death of former BBC Breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull aged 66 following a battle with prostate cancer this week. Since 3 December 2007, he has been the presenter of BBC News at Six and was previously the main presenter of GMT on BBC World News since its launch . If I had three feet, I'd have them in Asia, Africa and Europe. Studied at the King InternationalSchool and later studied at St. John's College. With two growing sons Adam and Matthew (both now in their thirties, the latter following in his fathers footsteps in the media) he returned to Britain in the early 2000s and landed the principal role at the Six OClock News, as it was, in 2007. It haunts me. BBC newsreader George Alagiah, 66, left viewers and colleagues emotional today over his return to broadcasting.Earlier this afternoon, George had taken to Twitter to announce his return to the . George Alagiah reads the BBC Six O'Clock News, The BBC newsreader talks about his family, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, George Alagiah: 'I learned to dream from my father.' I find the "men versus women" thing difficult to understand because I've never seen them as different. "There's this collective notion of life which I think we have lost. Working in the newsroom "has been such an important part of keeping energised and motivated", said Alagiah. [21][22] In January 2018 it emerged that the cancer had returned and he would undergo further treatment. Best of BBC Future . . It haunts me. George Alagiah with his sisters, mother and father in Sri Lanka, 1959; and with his sisters and mother in Ghana, 1965 . The famous British journalist makes a decent money from his career. I have had days when things feel more difficult, when I feel, how long is this going to go on for? There was a work ethic about my mother, which I've also inherited. His parents moved to Ghana, West Africa, in 1961, where he attended Christ the King International School for his primary education. Cancer had returned in January 2018, and he would have to undergo more treatment. Adam Alagiah and Matthew Alagiah are two sons of George Alagiah and are his most treasured family. He adds that there are days where he wakes up 'feeling like s**t' and can have a 'energy collapse'. His father worked as an engineer in Ghana, before the newsreader was sent to boarding school in Portsmouth aged 11. It is very technical so you have to be careful. George Alagiah reflects on cancer journey alongside Sheridan Smith.
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