Edward Stourton dies aged 68 as BBC colleagues pay tribute

Edward Stourton, the veteran BBC broadcaster and journalist whose career spanned more than 40 years, has died aged 68. He died on Saturday surrounded by his family after living with prostate cancer since 2014. Colleagues have paid tribute to him as one of the finest voices in British broadcasting.

Key Takeaways

• Edward Stourton died aged 68 on Saturday, surrounded by his family, the BBC confirmed.
• He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2014 and continued working until very recently.
• His career included a decade presenting Radio 4's Today programme and major BBC and ITN roles.
• Friends and colleagues, including James Naughtie and Radio 4 controller Mohit Bakaya, called him outstanding and much-loved.
• He is survived by his wife Fiona, two sons, a daughter and a step-daughter.

What happened to Edward Stourton?

According to a BBC report, Stourton died on Saturday with his family around him. The corporation announced the news and shared tributes from senior figures across BBC News and Radio 4.

Stourton revealed in his 2023 memoir Confessions that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer nearly a decade earlier. He received treatment, but was later told the disease had become incurable and had spread. He kept working on air until very recently.

For readers following celebrity breaking news, the loss marks the end of a widely respected career at the heart of British public broadcasting.

Why does Edward Stourton's career matter?

Stourton's career stretched more than four decades. He helped launch Channel 4 News at ITN and became its first Washington correspondent in the later years of the Reagan presidency.

He joined the BBC as Paris correspondent in 1988. After a spell back at ITN as diplomatic editor, he returned to present the One O'Clock News on BBC One. His work also included Panorama, Assignment, Correspondent, and the Radio 4 phone-in Call Ed Stourton.

He joined the flagship Today programme in 1999 and presented it for about a decade, reporting from places such as Lebanon and Afghanistan. He was also among the first correspondents to reach New York after the 9/11 attacks. In later years he fronted Radio 4's religious affairs programme Sunday and regularly hosted The World at One and The World This Weekend.

What have colleagues said about Edward Stourton?

Former Today co-host James Naughtie praised Stourton's "warm intelligence and wit" and called him "one of the best colleagues." Naughtie said his dignity and courage through illness inspired those who knew him, adding he was "simply, much-loved."

Radio 4 controller Mohit Bakaya described him as an "absolutely outstanding broadcaster" who brought "intelligence, authority and an extraordinary hinterland" to his work. BBC interim news chief Jonathan Munro said it was "far too soon to lose Ed," recalling him as "unflappable" from their ITN days.

Today editor Rebecca Keating said colleagues called Stourton the "Rolls Royce of broadcasting," praising his sharp mind and knowledge. Born in Nigeria in 1957, Stourton is survived by his wife Fiona, a senior television producer, and their family.