the opportunities my family had, the . My relationship with Macmillan is more of the latter not too out there., His approach is different from that of Dame Deborah James, the campaigner who also had bowel cancer and died in June, eight years after her diagnosis. '", I saved myself from Royal life, Harry says & insists 'sharing's an act of service', Love Island's Olivia Hawkins breaks silence as she returns to the UK, Loose Women star lined up to be Strictly's first contestant in wheelchair, Coronation Street fans horrified as Amy Barlow is raped in disturbing scenes, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. His most popular book is A Home From Home: From Immigrant Boy to English Man. "I had to stop and say, 'Hang on a minute. 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. The award-winning BBC news presenter talks about his ongoing eight-year struggle with cancer and the rejuvenating role of the workplace. Adrenalin got me through dealing with gunmen in Somalia and earthquake aftershocks in Kashmir., When it gets really bad, he takes painkillers. I find the "men versus women" thing difficult to understand because I've never seen them as different. In January 2003 he joined the BBC Six O'Clock News, along with the co-presenter Sophie Raworth until October 2005, and with Natasha Kaplinsky until October 2007. [7] His secondary education took place at St John's College, an independent Roman Catholic school in Portsmouth, England, after which he read politics at Van Mildert College, Durham University. George and Frances married in 1984, after meeting in Durham University, where they both studied. You can be right out there or in the background. He is the third born. Family of US . Sleep deprivation was an issue, but I dont want people to think I am feeling sorry for myself.. George Alagiah is a British journalist, newsreader, and television news presenter. Health Gap. [5] In 1961, his parents moved to Ghana in West Africa, where he had his primary education at Christ the King International School. Up to when I was six, we lived in Sri Lanka, then my father got a job for the government in Ghana. BBC News At Six popular anchor George Alagiah has announced that he is taking a break from presenting the channel's evening news bulletin after discovering his cancer has spread further, his . Frances Robathan was the Senior Partnerships Adviser of the Fairtrade Foundation, where she worked for 18 years since 2002. Each day, news reporters, forecasters and presenters work hard to gather information and deliver to public via news programs, radio and news papers. The thing about bowel cancer is, it is all about poo and bums and people dont like talking about them. After graduating from college, George enrolled at Van Mildert College and Durham University to study politics. Alagiah stands approximately at a height of 5 feet 10 inches tall and he weighs 87 kg. They have been together since they met for the first time at Durham University when Frances was 19 and George 20. He has been married to Frances Robathan for over 30 years. Ive had an amazing gift of a life for a man who was born into a house without a proper toilet. Frances went to Durham University, where she met her husband. I'd love to campaign to bring about the three-generational family, living in close proximity. He is one of the famous journalist for BBC, where Carol Kirkwood also serves as a journalist. The two of them met and fell in love while students at Durham University at a time when mixed-race relationships were, he has said, certainly less common back then, though not unique. I definitely remember thinking that I didnt want to be defined by my disease., Now he realises that he has something to contribute. George Alagiah said his life and family "didn't feel like a failure", said in June 2020 that the cancer had spread, Harry: I feared losing memories of mum during therapy, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Canadian grandma helps police snag phone scammer, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress. His parents Donald Alagiah, an engineer, and Therese were Sri LankanTamil. 2023 BBC. By [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. 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. Copyright 2021, All Right Reserved MARRIEDCELEB. 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. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. And on continuing to read the news despite his diagnoses, he adds: 'Going into the newsroom doesnt kill any cancer cells, thats for sure. Unsure of what was happening, I laughed along with them. [15] The book is described as a "gripping, pacy thriller about corruption and homicide in South Africa". Before I reached the front door the building took a direct hit. Its almost meditative.. Has faith stayed with him, or offered comfort in coping with a stage-four cancer diagnosis? If there are ill-effects of his ongoing treatment that he is trying to keep private by opting for online, then he isnt making a very good job of it. There was a work ethic about my mother, which I've also inherited. Further scans showed that the cancerous cells spread to his lymph nodes along with his liver. I see him once a week and phone him every evening; my sisters see him every day. Alagiah now uses breathing techniques to calm himself and help deal with the pain caused by the tumour. There isn't much information available about Adam, but Matt is the Editor-in-Chief of @itsnicethat. Read about our approach to external linking. [6] His other documentaries and features include reports on why affirmative action in America is a 'Lost Cause', for the Assignment programme, Saddam Hussein's genocidal campaign against the Kurds of northern Iraq for the BBC's Newsnight programme and a report on the last reunion of the veterans of Dunkirk.[8]. Since 3rd July 2006, George presented World News Today on BBC World News and BBC Two on 1st February 2010. Dont miss to subscribe to our new feeds, kindly fill the form below. He has two younger sisters and two older sisters. 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.. On 28 June, Alagiah announced on Twitter that he was making "encouraging progress". Video, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, Harry: I feared losing memories of mum during therapy, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61. Disappointing, but not unexpected given this KPI was quietly scrapped for providers. Newsreader George Alagiah is to take a break from his presenting duties at the BBC as he deals with 'a further spread of cancer', his agent said today.. 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. They have been together since they met for the first time at Durham University when Frances was 19 and George20. He is doing a better job than me at keeping his eyes dry. The back pain is currently not so bad as it has been. That will come as no surprise to those who tune in to BBC Ones News at Six each evening and watch him as effortless, reassuring and handsome as ever, and maybe even forget that he announced in 2014 that he had been diagnosed with stage-four bowel cancer. 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 . His income is mainly from his successful career as a broadcast journalist. It happens quite regularly when you are on chemo. In the showers, the other boys with tan-lines made jokes about how I was brown all over. Had I joined then, Id have entered a very white world, dominated by people from a certain class and set of institutions. George Alagiah was born in Sri Lanka to parents Donald and Therese Alagiah on November 22, 1955. Further, he said that it was not chronic or terminal.. 2023 BBC. Initially became editor of the student newspaper Palatinate. Having said that, we light candles in churches when we go in occasionally, around Christmas. His current regime is low doses for around three quarters of the year, and higher doses for the rest of the time. Im trying very hard not to get emotional.. [18], On 17 April 2014, it was announced that Alagiah was being treated for colorectal cancer. George at home with his wife Frances in North London, Source: Daily Mail The only time he even starts to look his age is when he puts on a striking pair of dark pink specs to work out how to turn off a message that keeps appearing on his computer screen. And what a wonderful village this can be, if only all of us global citizens realise the positive energy this can unleash. Recalling the. ), He has asked for our interview to be on Zoom. Alagiah revealed in June 2020 that his cancer had spread to his lungs, liver, and lymph nodes. I call it getting comfort. Aged 11, I got sent to a Catholic boarding school in Portsmouth. In my own extended family, among my mixed-heritage nieces, nephews and . The question keeps popping up. But I have discomfort all the way from my mouth to my bum. Ive been with people who treat me as they always did, who dont patronise me, and it is a tremendous fillip., One of the ways he has learnt to deal with his cancer is by realising that the body and the mind, though distinct, are also interrelated. Dec 9, 2022. Working in the newsroom "has been such an important part of keeping energised and motivated", said Alagiah. "It's. The two were not close, he says, but their one encounter is firmly fixed in his memory. And my sisters went to one in Littlehampton. He has two younger sisters and two older sisters. The 66-year-old broadcaster, who took a break from news reading last October, was first . If I were their age, I'd like to be their friend. We will continue to update details on George Alagiah's family. I'm hoping it's a long time from now, but I'm very lucky.". The BBC newsreader, 66, underwent 17 rounds of chemotherapy after he was first diagnosed with stage-four bowel cancer in 2014. I had no cause to do that before, but it is an important assertion of my living in the moment. He does not ask, he points out, if I am going to be here next month. I have had days when things feel more difficult, when I feel, how long is this going to go on for? Its still happening 28 years later. He is widely popular as the news presenter of rthe BBC News at Six, and former main presenter of GMT on BBC World News since 1st February 2010. George is the son of Donald Alagiah, an engineer, and Therese. 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], whos now been my wife and lover for all these years, the kids that we brought up it didnt feel like a failure.. To have ended up where I am now: what is not to be grateful for?. George Alagiah is a British newsreader and journalist who joined the BBC in 1989, working as a reporter and correspondent. The broadcaster, 64, on racism, impartiality and surviving cancer. (BBC) George Alagiah has announced that he will be stepping back from presenting BBC News after scans confirmed his cancer has spred further. He receives low doses for three quarters of the year and higher doses the rest of the time. George Alagiah Family. 'More importantly, it is sitting very close to the nerve and the aorta. 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 mother was the realist. Family: He married Frances Robathan in 1984 and they had two children. His wife Frances Robathan has supported him on his journey to fight the disease. "There's this collective notion of life which I think we have lost. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. As a BBC presenter, he earned 315,000 319,999 in 2018-2019. A PASSAGE TO AFRICA is Alagiah's shattering. He was born November 22, 1955 in Colombo, Ceylon. In the seat I regularly occupy on the BBC News at Six, I speak to millions of people. He even manages to smile as he says it. Its really tough there now, he says, on the basis of regular conversations with cousins still in Sri Lanka. [4] His parents, Donald Alagiah, an engineer, and Therese, were Sri Lankan Tamil. George Alagiah and Frances Robathan have two children - Adam, 34, and Matthew, 30. [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. From 2002 to 2009 George Alagiah was a patron of the Fairtrade Foundation; he is also a governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company. The elder one is doing international development and I think Matthew could be a writer. I dont know if it is into my spine. She also held the position of Head of Programme Partnerships and Head of Institutional Fundraising at the Foundation. Alagiah then took a role reading the Six O'Clock News in 2007. He continues: 'The thing about bowel cancer is, it is all about poo and bums and people dont like talking about them. Only in my late 30s did I open it again, to explore my heritage. 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. Moreover, Alagiah served as the presenter of BBC Four News from 2002. His wider family had a reunion recently, all four sisters, most of my nieces and nephews. After global riots in 2007 and 2008, George Alagiah travelled the world to reveal why we could be heading for . George kicked off his professional journalism career in 1989, when he joined the BBC network. When youre closer to your last day, you live each one with an intensity you couldnt have previously imagined. He was born George Maxwell Alagiah on November 22, 1955, in Colombo, Ceylon. Moreover, he was sabbatical officer of Durham Students' Union. But there is uncertainty, he says, over whether it may have to change. Not every day., For the only time in our conversation, he turns away. BBC newsreader George Alagiah was first diagnosed with bowel cancer in April 2014. Jamie Phillips For Mailonline Dame Deborah death prompts more bowel checks, Cancer will probably get me, says George Alagiah, Alagiah takes break from TV for cancer treatment, BBC's Alagiah on living with coronavirus and cancer, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. We had a mutual friend. 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. I was nearly killed by a shell in Afghanistan. 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. Had it happened 10 seconds later, I would have been blown up with it. In a statement, he said "it's back to the tough stuff" after a scan showed his cancer had spread further. 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'. My granddaughter's birth was a spiritual experience. Alagiah has spoken at the Royal Geographical Society, the Royal Society of Arts, and the Royal Overseas League, as well as at literary festivals in Cheltenham, Hay-on-Wye, and London, Keswick. The. But wouldn't it be amazing if the kids could go across a hallway and do their homework with him? Since the marriage, George and Frances shares two children togethers. The journalist and Sheridan Smith are among those who have. George Alagiah captures the essence of the emerging global village. The. He learned to bake cakes for the grandchildren and was really sweet with her. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? The latest breaking news, comment and features from The Independent. The news was confirmed by his agent Mary Greenham. And my second sister married in a registry office. [16], He is married to Frances Robathan, whom he met at Durham University. I have very strong views, but I keep them to myself: impartiality is important. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. He says: 'It is near my L5 lowest vertebra. 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. There seemed something so powerful in a new life entering the world while another, mine, was so compromised. He is married to Frances Robathan, with whom he has two sons. There have been times when even lying down makes it worse.'. The 66-year-old journalist was diagnosed with stage . When talking about being recognised as a celebrity, George said his sons keep him down to earth. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Laterthe programme was replaced as The World. George Alagiah was born Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 22 November 1955 - that makes him 65. . 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. And that becomes acute after three days of chemo. "Illness sometimes teaches a person the real worth of life." 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. 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. Born to his Srilankan parents, he is of Asian ethnicity and holds British nationality. To be fair, Alagiah, 66, has offered the occasional update on his health over the past eight and a half years. He joined the BBC Six OClock News in January 2003, co-presenting it with Sophie Raworth until October 2005, and then with Natasha Kaplinsky until October 2007. Ive spent a lot of the last 18 months in extreme pain. @SchoolsWeek. I think I am an emotional man. We would end the day by sitting around saying the rosary. The couple met at Durham University. ", Alagiah takes break from TV for cancer treatment, George Alagiah reveals his cancer has spread, George Alagiah's debut novel up for author's award, Alagiah 'overwhelmed' by viewers' support, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. Robathan, aged 61, was the Senior Partnerships Adviser of the Fairtrade Foundation, where she. As a five-year-old, George Alagiah emigrated with his family to Ghana - the first African country to attain independence from the British Empire. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. Since 2010 he has been the host and presenter on GMT. "I don't think I'm going to be able to get rid of this thing. And then there were people saying, come and help us with the campaign. 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. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, George Alagiah, 66, and Frances Robathan, 61, have been married for 37 years, George Alagiah and wife Frances, accompanied by their sons Adam, left and Matt, right, at Buckingham Palace, first diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). We weren't rebellious. Alagiah earns an average annual salary of between 325,000-329,999 at BBC. Each of us has to find our way of doing it. His appearances at literary festivals include Cheltenham, Keswick, Hay-on-Wye and London, and he has spoken at the Royal Geographical Society, the Royal Society of Arts and at the Royal Overseas League. It was a great relief, however, that the cancer was operable with a devastating twist. I can suddenly have an energy collapse. 'But I have discomfort all the way from my mouth to my bum. George Aliagiah is a British journalist, news reader and television news presenter. Crossing the road, I realised Id left my satchel behind. My sons Adam and Matthew, who are 23 and 19, are amazing guys. Since 3rd December 2007, George is the sole presenter of the Six O'Clock News. Through my work I've seen the world at its worst and I often wish I could make it better. George Alagiah was born on the 22nd of November, 1955. 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. British newsreader and presenter George Alagiah is a fighter!!!!!! George was a patron of the Fairtrade Foundation from 2002 to 2009. 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. [5] He lives in Stoke Newington, North London. If the full stop came now, would my life have been a failure? The 65-year-old BBC newsreader was first diagnosed with stage 4. George Alagiah has described the challenge of getting his cancer diagnosis 'straight in his head' when he was told he was dying. He said in June 2020 that the cancer had spread to his lungs, liver and lymph nodes. Right now, when there is an unpredictability about my treatment, I would definitely call them not dark moments but difficult moments, when it is harder to reach that position of contentment which is where I am most of the time. The most painful thoughts are those about his family. My dad is 85 and very frail; he lives in a wonderful residential home, but it's a 35-minute drive. How, I wonder, does he manage the pain if it strikes suddenly while he is reading the headlines, or interviewing someone live in the studio? He also spoke about his treatment, saying: "My doctor's very good at every now and again hitting me with a big red bus full of drugs, because the whole point about cancer is it finds a way through and it gets you in the end. Education: The education details are not available at this time. Asked if the cancer has spread to his spine, he says: 'I dont know if it is into my spine. In October, the journalist said he was taking a break from TV to have treatment after "a further spread of cancer" was discovered. 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. The book can be bought from Amazon with a price range of $15.57. Most people thought that he would look terrible after the surgery. I am generally an optimistic person. We have seen many people fighting cancer and winning over the diseaseand George Alagiah is one of them. 'Im not too scared for myself, but Im here on the third floor of our house. You cant get a cancer diagnosis without knowing about Macmillan because they are everywhere, he explains. George Alagiah interviews Stacey Heale from Southampton, whose husband Greg has bowel cancer, along with the charity's former Chief Executive, Deborah Alsina MBE, on what it's like caring for a loved one with the disease. George Maxwell Alagiah OBE is a British newsreader, journalist, and television news presenter. Frances has never bothered about her kids as they love to follow in their father's footsteps. Alagiah gained huge fame after working for BBC in 1989. Series two Episode four: Surgery and bowel cancer Cancer had returned in January 2018, and he would have to undergo more treatment. Adam Alagiah was born in the year 1987 and is now 34 years old. He is a husband to Frances Robathan and she was born in the year 1960. My career took me to some of the most dangerous places on the planet, and nothing ever turned out quite as bad as I thought it might., What has changed as a result of diagnosis, he says, is his understanding of the richness of each day. It was 1994 in Kabul and I had just walked out of the house I was staying in. A Passage to Africa is Alagiah's shattering catalogue of atrocities crafted into a portrait of Africa that is infused with hope, insight, and outrage. 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. Alagiah has been the host of BBC Four News from its inception in 2002; the show has since been renamed The World and then another edition of World News Today. 09:57 GMT 04 Sep 2022 He doesnt like the martial language of battling the disease who am I in a battle with? His agent said at the time that he was dealing with a further spread of the . Their second son Matthew Alagiah was born in 1991. His parents moved to Ghana, West Africa, in 1961, where he attended Christ the King International School for his primary education. It is very technical so you have to be careful. 1961, George's parents shifted to Ghana, West Africa, where Alagiah joined Christ the King international School. Both are sons, Adam Alagiah (23 years old) and Matthew Alagiah (19 years old). He was first diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in. The BBC turned me down three times at the start of my career, and Im grateful. But thats right now and it may not be true for tomorrow. Before that, Alagiah was the deputy anchor of the BBC One O'Clock News and BBC Nine O'Clock News from 1999. Most people with these symptoms do not have bowel cancer, but the NHS advice is to see your GP if you have one or more of the symptoms and they have persisted for more than four weeks. [citation needed], Alagiah joined the BBC in 1989 after seven years in print journalism with South Magazine. BBC newsreader George Alagiah announced in October 2021 he is taking a break from presenting, after his cancer spread further. How old is George Alagiah? His parents moved to Ghana, West Africa, in 1961, where he attended Christ the King International School for his primary education. However, in January 2018, the cancer had complexes and Alagiah had to undergo for treatment again. By the time it came to me, they just wanted good people. . When talking about being recognised as a celebrity, George said his sons keep him down to earth.
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