The BBC News at Six broadcaster, 66, was diagnosed with bowel . So, I understand it, but Im afraid I no longer have it. He thinks for a moment. George Alagiah has announced he is returning to the BBC's News At Six tonight after "months of treatment". His parents Donald Alagiah, an engineer, and Therese were Sri LankanTamil. And on continuing to read the news despite his diagnoses, he adds: 'Going into the newsroom doesnt kill any cancer cells, thats for sure. The 66-year-old broadcaster, who took a break from news reading last October, was first . The two were not close, he says, but their one encounter is firmly fixed in his memory. 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. He said in June 2020 that the cancer had spread to his lungs, liver and lymph nodes. He grew up with his four siblings and holds a British nationality. The. 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. "I'm missing my colleagues", he said, adding that he was looking forward to returning to the studio "as soon as I can". The taxi pulled out into a late monsoon downpour, its windscreen wipers feebly slapping at the sheet of water. 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. 2023 BBC. Adam Alagiah and Matthew Alagiah are two sons of George Alagiah and are his most treasured family. Today Id call what I experienced racism, but back then I didnt have that language. The couple exchanged their vows in1984 and have two children. To have ended up where I am now: what is not to be grateful for?. Both are sons, Adam Alagiah (23 years old) and Matthew Alagiah (19 years old). Alagiah has also been a vocal supporter of microfinance as a development tool, including recent appearances in support of Opportunity International. As a child, I felt cosseted. Dont miss to subscribe to our new feeds, kindly fill the form below. 'More importantly, it is sitting very close to the nerve and the aorta. It is really important for me to know that, when my eyes shut, it is only going to be for a little while and that another day will start., Are there ever darker moments, like when he had hoped the cancer had gone but then it returned? Read about our approach to external linking. Ive had an amazing gift of a life for a man who was born into a house without a proper toilet. - last year just 49% of pupils on the programme were Pupil Premium eligible. Since 3 July 2006, he has presented World News Today on BBC World News and BBC Two, which was rebranded GMT on 1 February 2010. In his glossy portrait taken by celebrity photographer Rankin as part of a new campaign by Macmillan Cancer Support, George Alagiah is looking good. Moreover, there are ho rumors or controversies about the couple that leads into their separation or divorce. Disappointing stats on NTP uncovered by. BBC newsreader George Alagiah has said he thinks the cancer he has had since 2014 will "probably get me in the end", but that he still feels "very lucky". 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? In my job one cant decide that the view you subscribe to is the only one. Im not afraid of vulnerability or saying I am vulnerable, so Im slightly surprised at myself that I kept seeing these leaflets and pamphlets, but somehow I had in my head that if I go to Macmillan, I would be telling myself its over. Besides, he also earns from his books as an author. Further scans showed that the cancerous cells spread to his lymph nodes along with his liver. 1961, George's parents shifted to Ghana, West Africa, where Alagiah joined Christ the King international School. George Aliagiah is married to his wife Frances Robathan. His wider family had a reunion recently, all four sisters, most of my nieces and nephews. The BBC turned me down three times at the start of my career, and Im grateful. '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. Later, he attended St. John's College, in England. His father worked as an engineer in Ghana, before the newsreader was sent to boarding school in Portsmouth aged 11. If I were their age, I'd like to be their friend. The BBC newsreader was first diagnosed with the disease several . The couple, who have two sons in their thirties, met at university. I'm hoping it's a long time from now, but I'm very lucky.". The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Later, he started working as BBCs leading foreign correspondents, presenting on events and later joined as newsreader and presenter. I dont like it and Ive managed to wean myself off them. George is currently serving as a main relief presenter for BBC Ten O'Clock News. Learned politics at Van Mildert College, Durham University. They have been together since they met for the first time at Durham University when Frances was 19 and George20. Diagnosed with cancer 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. Since the marriage, George and Frances shares two children togethers. After the Asian tsunami in 2004, he went back to his grandfather's original home in Sri Lanka to look at the damage. George Maxwell Alagiah(BBC), Bio, Wiki, Age, Height, Education, Family, Career, Salary and Net Worth. Alagiah was born in Colombo, Ceylon on 22 November 1955. 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. George grew up alongside his four siblings Mari, Christine, Rachel, and Jennifer. By Family of US . Since 3rd July 2006, George presented World News Today on BBC World News and BBC Two on 1st February 2010. They have been together since they met for the first time at Durham University when Frances was 19 and George 20. He is married to Frances Robathan, with whom he has two sons. But I have discomfort all the way from my mouth to my bum. It was back in 2014 that the 66-year old BBC newsreader, George Alagiah was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer. George Alagiah: It took me a long time to feel comfortable in my Britishness. Each day, news reporters, forecasters and presenters work hard to gather information and deliver to public via news programs, radio and news papers. Education: The education details are not available at this time. Ultimately, in October 2015, George announced on Twitter that his treatment was over and went back to the BBC on 10th November. George Alagiah has confirmed he'll be back on BBC News tonight following months of cancer treatment. So has the cancer spread into his spine? My sons Adam and Matthew, who are 23 and 19, are amazing guys. It is near my L5 lowest vertebra. You cant get a cancer diagnosis without knowing about Macmillan because they are everywhere, he explains. On 17th April 2014, it was announced that George was under treatment for cancer. There have been times when even lying down makes it worse.'. His parents moved to Ghana, West Africa, in 1961, where he attended Christ the King International School for his primary education. Alagiah says he told her to inform her family immediately, but instead she stopped and spoke to him for half an hour. His parents moved to Ghana in West Africa in 1961. Had I joined then, Id have entered a very white world, dominated by people from a certain class and set of institutions. He was a sabbatical officer of the Durham Students Union. The BBC newsreader, 66, underwent 17 rounds of chemotherapy after he was first diagnosed with stage-four bowel cancer in 2014. Initially became editor of the student newspaper Palatinate. George Alagiah: I have a tumour site in my lower back - I've spent a lot of time in pain'. 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. I didnt want my identity to define me. It took me that long to feel comfortable in my Britishness; to reach a point where I didnt feel it could be taken away. 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. Each of us has to find our way of doing it. He is one of the famous journalist for BBC, where Carol Kirkwood also serves as a journalist. She also held the position of Head of Programme Partnerships and Head of Institutional Fundraising at the Foundation. ", 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. 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. 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'. Photograph: Eamonn McCabe for the Guardian. Is one of the BBC team collecting a BAFTA award for the coverage of the Kosovo conflict. He is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Companys Board of Directors. I see the injustice of whats happening in the US with the death of George Floyd. In 2010, he received the Outstanding Achievement in Television award at the Asian Awards. Read about our approach to external linking. Swapping the mango trees of Ghana for an inner-city British Catholic boarding school, aged 11, was a shock to my system. George is the son of Donald Alagiah, an engineer, and Therese. They set various benchmarks and, one by one, had to let them go. Her sons always made their family feel like a sober family and make them complete. The Burning Land, Alagiahs debut novel, was shortlisted for a Society of Authors award in 2020. The TV journalist, 65, who regularly . George Alagiah has shared his belief his diet may have something to do with him first being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2014. Yes, George Alagiah does have a wife. Born in Sri Lanka, Alagiah's parents left for west Africa when he was a young child. I see him once a week and phone him every evening; my sisters see him every day. There is a Tamil proverb where a father waits for the day when he walks into a room and people say: this is So-and-So's father. Furthermore, Alagiah was a member of the BBC crew that won a BAFTA award for its coverage of the Kosovo crisis in 2000. 'Energised and motivated' The presenter has kept working as much as . The popular journalist George suffered a lot but his wife and family were always by his side. George's Photo George Alagiah Wife George and Frances married in 1984, after meeting in Durham University, where they both studied. 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. I've got the cancer still. However, in January 2018, the cancer had complexes and Alagiah had to undergo for treatment again. George recalled the memory and said, "The doctors are very careful in what they say, so you have to read between the lines and work out what theyre not saying. Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. Its really tough there now, he says, on the basis of regular conversations with cousins still in Sri Lanka. George Alagiah was first diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in April 2014, which subsequently spread to his lungs, liver and lymph nodes. Adam is 34 years old and Matthew is 30 years old as of 221. 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. George Alagiah captures the essence of the emerging global village. He continues: 'The thing about bowel cancer is, it is all about poo and bums and people dont like talking about them. Recalling the. There is clearly a private story that runs in parallel with the public appearances. [citation needed], Alagiah joined the BBC in 1989 after seven years in print journalism with South Magazine. Now, he tells me calmly, he has a tumour site at the base of his back. His income is mainly from his successful career as a broadcast journalist. 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". George tied a knot to Frances in the year 1984. Furthermore, during the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March 2020, Alagiah tested positive for COVID-19 and exhibited mild symptoms. He was first diagnosed with bowel cancer in April 2014; the terrifying journey of the guy. George is a British national and he belongs to a mixed race. 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. The duo is living a blissful conjugal life and is also blessed with two children; sons, Adam, 30, and Matt, 25. George Maxwell Alagiah OBE (/la/ born 22 November 1955)[2][3] is a British newsreader, journalist and television news presenter. Im hoping its a long time from now, but Im very lucky.. He last appeared on the programme in 2014. GEORGE ALAGIAH is a recognisable newsreader and television presenter. 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. The couple met at Durham University. Has faith stayed with him, or offered comfort in coping with a stage-four cancer diagnosis? If I were their age, I'd like to be their friend. Alagiah together with his lovely wife have two children namely Matthew Alagiah and Adam Alagiah Is George Alagiah married? Among his many interviews was one with President Nelson Mandela of South Africa. 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. Adam is four years elder than his younger brother Matthew as he has now reached the age of 34, while Matthew is still 30 as of 2022. To be fair, Alagiah, 66, has offered the occasional update on his health over the past eight and a half years. 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. George Alagiah married to Frances Robathan on 1984. cancer had complexes and Alagiah had to undergo for treatment again. [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. I have very strong views, but I keep them to myself: impartiality is important. "I spent a lot of my time in Africa, and in South Africa they have a word: Ubuntu. Disappointing, but not unexpected given this KPI was quietly scrapped for providers. George Aliagiah is a British journalist, news reader and television news presenter. The question keeps popping up. 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. 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. The 65-year-old BBC newsreader was first diagnosed with stage 4. 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. "Probably it will get me in the end. BBC newsreader George Alagiah was first diagnosed with bowel cancer in April 2014. Alagiah gained huge fame after working for BBC in 1989. George Alagiah Family. George Maxwell Alagiah OBE is a British newsreader, journalist, and television news presenter. 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. Now, though, it is lasting longer, so I may go into the studio [he is due to broadcast on the two days following our interview] with the issues with the ulcers., There are some days, he confides, when he wakes up feeling s---. Who is George Alagiah's wife? Apart from Frances, my wife, my sisters are my closest friends. Poor leadership is definitely part of it., His father started working as an engineer in Ghana. My mother was the realist. Alagiah, 66, has been married to wife Frances, an executive with the Fairtrade Foundation charity, for 36 years. But, at that stage I was getting my head around this disease, and being told I had to sort my affairs out, desperately wanting to get better, worrying about my family and all those different emotions. I was nearly killed by a shell in Afghanistan. The duo tied the knot in 1984 and they have two sons, Adam Alagiah and Matthew Alagiah. In an interview in January 2022, the BBC newsreader said: Probably [cancer] will get me in the end. Before joining BBC, he served for seven years in print journalism with South Magazine. And that becomes acute after three days of chemo. My dad is 85 and very frail; he lives in a wonderful residential home, but it's a 35-minute drive. 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. There was a work ethic about my mother, which I've also inherited. What kind of architecture do we need? 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. Alagiah has an estimated net worth of between $1 million -$5 million. In 2000, Alagiah was part of the BBC team which collected a BAFTA award for its coverage of the Kosovo conflict. 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. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Alagiah was born in Colombo, Ceylon to his parents, Donald Alagiah, an engineer, and Therese, who were Sri Lankan Tamil. His parents moved to Ghana, West Africa, in 1961. It's growing very slowly," he said on the podcast Desperately Seeking Wisdom. He spent a decade as the corporation's foreign correspondent, winning a Baftafor his coverage of the Kosovo conflict in 2000. You can't do that in a terraced house. [4] His parents, Donald Alagiah, an engineer, and Therese, were Sri Lankan Tamil. 09:57 GMT 04 Sep 2022 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. [15] The book is described as a "gripping, pacy thriller about corruption and homicide in South Africa". But I cannot wait until they're the ones driving the car and I'm the one snoozing in the back.