Broadcaster and journalist Edward Stourton, who had prostate cancer, dies

Newsreader and journalist Edward Stourton has died aged 68.

The BBC Radio 4 presenter who hosted current affairs shows including Today and World At One died on Saturday surrounded by his family, the BBC said.

In 2023, Stourton revealed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer a decade before.

He received treatment but was later told the cancer had spread.

He had continued to work until recently, publishing his most recent book, Made In America, exploring US history and how it has led to the era of Donald Trump, just last year.

Stourton published his memoir, Confessions, in 2023, in which he shared his cancer diagnosis.

His death follows that of fellow broadcast journalist Dermot Murnaghan, who died two weeks ago following a period of illness with prostate cancer, and who was also aged 68.

Former prime minister David Cameron and six-time Olympic champion Chris Hoy have also spoken publicly about being treated for the disease.

A tenacious and well-respected foreign correspondent, Stourton was born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1957.

After attending the University of Cambridge, he was a graduate trainee at ITN, where he was a founding member of Channel 4 News in 1982.

An 'outstanding broadcaster' who will 'leave a gap'

Initially working as a scriptwriter, he would go on to cover foreign news, including a stint as Washington correspondent, where he reported on the final years of the Reagan presidency.

He then went on to join the BBC in 1988 before returning to ITN two years later as diplomatic editor, reporting from around the world, including from Baghdad during the Gulf War, Bosnia during the siege of Sarajevo and Moscow in the final days of the Soviet Union.

He returned to the BBC in 1993 and fronted the One O'Clock News for six years and presented his own Radio 4 phone-in programme, Call Ed Stourton, before joining the Today programme in 1999, which he presented for a decade.

Stourton also worked as BBC Two's world affairs strand correspondent, presented editions of Panorama as well as a string of Radio 4 programmes including The World At One, The World This Weekend and Analysis.

A Roman Catholic, he wrote a book about the former pope, John Paul II: Man Of History, and presented Radio 4's religious and ethical current affairs series, Sunday.

Jonathan Munro, interim chief executive of BBC News and current affairs, said, Stourton's death would leave "a huge gap", adding, "It's far too soon to lose Ed. I worked as his producer when he was ITN's diplomatic editor - unflappable then and ever after."

Mohit Bakaya, controller of BBC Radio 4, called him an "absolutely outstanding broadcaster", saying: "When Ed was behind the mic, whether on Sunday or the various news programmes he regularly presented for Radio 4, you felt you understood the world that little bit better."

Stourton is survived by his wife Fiona and his four children.

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