The award-winning BBC news presenter talks about his ongoing eight-year struggle with cancer and the rejuvenating role of the workplace. [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]. He was first diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2014 and has stepped back from presenting intermittently for treatment since then. Moreover, he was sabbatical officer of Durham Students' Union. . [5] He lives in Stoke Newington, North London. In addition, George celebrates his birthday on the 22nd of November every year and his zodiac sign is Sagittarius. Each of us has to find our way of doing it. We will continue to update details on George Alagiah's family. British television journalist known for presenting on BBC News at Six, BBC World News, and BBC News at Ten. By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. George is the son of Donald Alagiah, an engineer, and Therese. The famous British journalist is a married man. 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. BBC newsreader George Alagiah to 'take break' as cancer spreads (Image: BBC) "And actually, when I look back at my journeythe family I had, the opportunities my family had, the great good . Jamie Phillips For Mailonline, George Alagiah RETURNS to BBC's News At Six, six months after stepping back to undergo treatment for bowel cancer, 'Both inside and out, he was kind and generous - and had a wicked sense of humour': Stars pay tribute to 'brave' Bill Turnbull after 'talented' journalist died aged 66 following battle with prostate cancer. George grew up alongside his four siblings Mari, Christine, Rachel, and Jennifer. He wrote for and became editor of the student publication Palatinate while at Durham. We're in that transition period that other parents worry about: the loss of control and so on. Alagiah was born in Colombo, Ceylon on 22 November 1955. He went to boarding school in England at twelve years old. A Passage to Africa by George Alagiah | Goodreads We understood the sacrifice my parents had made in sending us to school so we wanted to make those holidays the best they could be for our parents. Im not too scared for myself, but Im here on the third floor of our house, he says, almost over his shoulder. Subsequently there have been podcasts for BowelCancerUK - and now these Rankin photographs for Macmillan Cancer Support, which accompany the announcement of its annual Coffee Morning fundraising event later this month. Alagiah revealed in June 2020 that his cancer had spread to his lungs, liver, and lymph nodes. George Alagiah and Frances Robathan have two children - Adam, 34, and Matthew, 30. It happens quite regularly when you are on chemo. My granddaughter's birth was a spiritual experience. Being healthy, being content, being physically comfortable is as much about the mind as it is the body., He uses breathing techniques taught to him by his very clever and imaginative osteopath to calm his mind and deal with its reaction to the pain caused by the tumour next to his spine. [5] In 1961, his parents moved to Ghana in West Africa, where he had his primary education at Christ the King International School. , updated We weren't rebellious. At 11, Alagiah was sent as his sisters before him had been to a Catholic boarding school in Portsmouth. Mr Turnbull's family revealed that he died 'peacefully' at home in Suffolk after a 'challenging and committed fight' against his cancer which had been diagnosed in November 2017. And then there were people saying, come and help us with the campaign. Sri Lanka's Retreat Into Language Of Conspiracy My children go to a school attended by some 70 nationalities. Not every day., For the only time in our conversation, he turns away. I'm comfortable with women. BBC newsreader George Alagiah has said he has no time to worry about death as his cancer spreads - because he is busy focusing on living. Adrenalin got me through dealing with gunmen in Somalia and earthquake aftershocks in Kashmir., When it gets really bad, he takes painkillers. But thats right now and it may not be true for tomorrow. George Alagiah has announced he is returning to the BBC's News At Six tonight after "months of treatment". (BBC) George Alagiah has announced that he will be stepping back from presenting BBC News after scans confirmed his cancer has spred further. By the time it came to me, they just wanted good people. Moreover, Alagiah served as the presenter of BBC Four News from 2002. George Alagiah with his sisters, mother and father in Sri Lanka, 1959; and with his sisters and mother in Ghana, 1965 . There seemed something so powerful in a new life entering the world while another, mine, was so compromised. It is very technical so you have to be careful. BBC newsreader George Alagiah to take a break from presenting 'due to It haunts me. 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. Learned politics at Van Mildert College, Durham University. Later, he started working as BBCs leading foreign correspondents, presenting on events and later joined as newsreader and presenter. Alagiah was born on 22nd November 1955, in Colombo, Ceylon, Sri Lanka. Usually by about a week later it is beginning to be better. In his glossy portrait taken by celebrity photographer Rankin as part of a new campaign by Macmillan Cancer Support, George Alagiah is looking good. 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. 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. George Alagiah health: 'It will get me in the end' - newsreader on 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. 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. . VideoRussian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, 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. Only in my late 30s did I open it again, to explore my heritage. There isn't much information available about Adam, but Matt is the Editor-in-Chief of @itsnicethat. George said in a March 2018 interview with The Sunday Times that his cancer was terminal and that it could have been identified earlier if the screening program in England, which is automatically offered from the age of 60, was the same as the one in Scotland, which is offered from the age of 50. Alagiah has also been a vocal supporter of microfinance as a development tool, including recent appearances in support of Opportunity International. '", 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. With friends, family and colleagues Ive shared experiences and thoughts that we otherwise wouldnt have had. George Alagiah: I'm lucky for the life I've had, but cancer will "I don't think I'm going to be able to get rid of this thing. George Alagiah has shared his belief his diet may have something to do with him first being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2014. I dont know if it is into my spine. [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. The Burning Land by George Alagiah is out now (8.36, guardianbookshop.com), Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. The BBC newsreader, 66, underwent 17 rounds of chemotherapy after he was first diagnosed with stage-four bowel cancer in 2014. After completing his secondary education at St Johns College, a private Roman Catholic school in Portsmouth, England, he went on to Van Mildert College, Durham University, to study politics. George Alagiah - Wikipedia George Alagiah: Top 10 Facts You Need to Know - FamousDetails We are first generation immigrants from India. His agent said at the time that he was dealing with a further spread of the . I'd love to campaign to bring about the three-generational family, living in close proximity. In my job one cant decide that the view you subscribe to is the only one. George and Frances married in 1984, after meeting in Durham University, where they both studied. Working in the newsroom "has been such an important part of keeping energised and motivated", said Alagiah. And my second sister married in a registry office. The globe looks different depending on where youre standing: George Alagiah. 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? George Alagiah issues devastating update on cancer battle There was a work ethic about my mother, which I've also inherited. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? In October, the journalist said he was taking a break from TV to have treatment after "a further spread of cancer" was discovered. If they all knew what I thought on every topic we report on, wed lose some of them. '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. 09:57 GMT 04 Sep 2022 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? Sam Moore. Taking a job at South magazine informed how I report on international affairs to this day. The things that had gone well far outweighed the others, which brought me to a place of total contentment. [18], On 17 April 2014, it was announced that Alagiah was being treated for colorectal cancer. It's the idea that I'm only human if I recognise the humanity in you. George Alagiah Married, Wife, Children, Affairs & Net worth The. 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? "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. 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.. When asked what piece of wisdom he would give, he spoke about the need for people to think more collectively. 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. Before I reached the front door the building took a direct hit. 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. [10][11] Complaints were received at the BBC from members of the public who were unhappy that Alagiah had been asked to step down. George Alagiah undergone more than 100 rounds of chemo as he shares 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. George Alagiah is a British journalist, newsreader, and television news presenter. George Alagiah: Cancer will probably get me in the end And they would store up treats for us. He has two younger sisters and two older sisters. A persistent change in bowel habit - going more often, with looser stools and sometimes tummy pain, Blood in the stools without other symptoms, such as piles, Abdominal pain, discomfort or bloating always brought on by eating - sometimes resulting in a reduction in the amount of food eaten and weight loss. [16], He is married to Frances Robathan, whom he met at Durham University. There is clearly a private story that runs in parallel with the public appearances. '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. His parents Donald Alagiah, an engineer, and Therese were Sri LankanTamil. George Alagiah's age is 67. 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. It was a gathering full of passion and joy, but tinged with the realisation that some of us were more vulnerable than others. One brother-in-law died last year, another has pancreatic cancer. There seemed something so powerful in a new life entering the world while another, mine, was so compromised. 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. 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. The popular journalist George suffered a lot but his wife and family were always by his side. Alagiah underwent 17 rounds of chemotherapy to treat his advanced bowel cancer in 2014 and said he was a "richer person" for it upon returning to presenting the following year. 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. Since the marriage, George and Frances shares two children togethers. The TV journalist, 65, who regularly . We are no longer accepting comments on this article. He continues: 'The thing about bowel cancer is, it is all about poo and bums and people dont like talking about them.
