Broadcaster and journalist Edward Stourton dies aged 68

journalismJul 20, 202636684

Broadcaster and journalist Edward Stourton has died aged 68, the BBC announced, after a long career of more than 40 years in radio and television. Stourton, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2014 and later told it had become incurable and spread, died on Saturday surrounded by his family. He helped launch Channel 4 News and was its first Washington correspondent during the latter years of the Reagan presidency, then joined the BBC as Paris correspondent in 1988. Stourton presented Radio 4's Today programme for a decade from 1999 and was among the first correspondents to reach New York after the 9/11 attacks. His wider BBC work included Panorama, Assignment, Correspondent, a Radio 4 phone-in Call Ed Stourton, The Heaven and Earth Show, the four-part BBC Two documentary Absolute Truth, and in recent years he presented Sunday, The World At One and The World This Weekend. Colleagues paid tribute: former Today co-host James Naughtie praised his "warm intelligence and wit" and "infectious decency," Radio 4 controller Mohit Bakaya called him an "absolutely outstanding broadcaster," and Today editor Rebecca Keating said colleagues referred to him as the "Rolls Royce of broadcasting." Stourton was born in 1957 in Nigeria, educated at Ampleforth College and Trinity College, Cambridge where he was President of the Union, and wrote books including a biography John Paul II: Man of History and his final book Made in America: the Dark History that Led to Donald Trump.

William French

@wtfrench76.bsky.social

Ach, really sad news with which to start the week. RIP. --> BBC broadcaster Edward Stourton dies aged 68 www.theguardian.com/media/2026/j...

5445d ago

Ben Sowton2

That is really really sad. I’ll miss that voice. Soothing comforting and made you feel safe. RIP 🕯️🕯️🕯️

Dr Sarah Brand

@sarahgailbrand.bsky.social

Ah, sad. Go well, Ed Stourton. Broadcaster and journalist Edward Stourton dies aged 68 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

4845d ago

Chris Weston5

An authoritative voice in an age of shrill client journalism.

Another Cinna2

Hope you heard Jim Naughtie's moving & affectionate tribute on #BBCR4Today.

David Benedict2

So sad. A thoughtful man with a wonderful voice and calm manner.

Dr Colin Runeckles2

Very sad to see this - always listened to Sunday before getting up.

Julia1

This is such sad news. He had the perfect radio voice, and a rare gentleness in approach.

'Pip' will do1

How sad and how young- I always loved his manner of delivery- a marked contrast from many of his fellow Today presenters

Quoting this

Louise, Prof/Dr9

The man who should never have been sacked from #R4Today to make way for the awful Justin Webb. Sad.

Richard Courtice3

Sad indeed. Top fellow to work with.

Ian Martin

@ianmartin.bsky.social

Ah, man. Have missed him presenting the Sunday programme on R4. Seemed like a decent bloke. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

5145d ago

Paul Moody1

Aw man. It's a PC World was a fine book.

Starr Faithful1

Liked him a lot, 68 is no age

Robert Saunders

@robertsaunders.bsky.social

Beautiful tribute to Edward Stourton on the Today Programme this morning: one of the loveliest voices on the radio, and a wonderful broadcaster. I was lucky enough to be interviewed by him back in 2016 on the churches & the 1975 referendum, and he was an absolute gent. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

4945d ago

Margot Finn

@eicathomefinn.bsky.social

Such a fine broadcaster, acute and humane. Born in Nigeria and read English at university; built his profile as a foreign correspondent. A career that maps so many of the changes to British broadcasting since the advent of ITN. A real loss.

4345d ago

Bostin’ Tastletine4

His departure was the start of the decline of the Today programme. A brilliant interviewer. I’ve no idea what his political leanings were because he was able to leave them behind when he turned up to work.

Peter Ricketts

@lordrickettsp.bsky.social

I’m very sad to see this . Ed was a wise and compassionate man and a rigorous news broadcaster.

4045d ago

Tom Sutcliffe

@tds153.bsky.social

Sad to hear about Edward Stourton. I didn’t know him personally but that steady, warm voice was part of my soundscape.

4845d ago

Sheila Ritchie1

I, too, am sorry to hear this. I liked his religious stuff as well as his news broadcasting; and, if you haven’t read it, get hold of a copy of Cruel Crossing- his story of following a WWII escape route through the Pyrenees.

Claire S (UK not USA)1

Sad news, he was one of the best.

Ed Wilson

@eddwilson.bsky.social

We could do with a lot more "infectious decency", a quality which James Naughtie attribiutes to Ed Stourton. #R4Today

3445d ago

Andrew Copson

@andrewcopson.bsky.social

Sad to hear this. Edward was reliably the sharpest- and fairest- minded of interviewers. His questions always intended to draw out genuine information to inform the audience and he was kind and clever. Appropriately challenging too and a joy to talk with, on or off air. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

2245d ago

Laura Phillips

@lauraphillips.bsky.social

So sad to hear this. A warm, calm, thoughtful+highly intelligent, well informed broadcaster+journalist, in very best BBC tradition. Asked pointed questions in an unfailingly polite way, but no less incisively. Recommend his books inc Made in America: The dark history that led to Donald Trump. RIP.

2445d ago

Dan/iel Mudford

@danmud.bsky.social

This is very sad news, he was the one BBC radio man I'd have liked to be friends with. www.theguardian.com/media/2026/j...

2445d ago

Hugh Sykes

@hughsykes.bsky.social

RIP Edward Stourton, TV & radio correspondent & presenter, and author of several books including 'Today', a history of the BBC Today programme, & 'Made in America: The Dark History that led to Donald Trump'. He was an observant, perceptive, and kind man with a sharp mind. He was 68.

1745d ago

Gideon Coe

@gidcoe.bsky.social

Hats off to Edward Stourton. Excellent journalist and broadcaster. Very much enjoyed his account of the BBC in WW2 "Auntie's War."

2545d ago

Dominic Minghella

@dminghella.bsky.social

I was lucky enough to meet Ed Stourton at the dinner table of Paul and Kate Unwin. A wonderful, straight shooting and wise fella, just as decent as you would imagine from the radio. Huge loss.

2245d ago

John Rowland

@johnnyrowland.bsky.social

In reviewing Ed Stourton’s career there’s no mention of the complete mess that #r4today made when sacking him in favour of Justin Webb. Stourton was told the news by a reporter, not by the BBC

1845d ago

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bbc.co.ukBroadcaster and journalist Edward Stourton dies aged 68

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Broadcaster and journalist Edward Stourton dies aged 68

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