Broadcaster and journalist Edward Stourton dies aged 68

By Steven McIntosh Entertainment reporter Published 3 minutes ago Broadcaster and journalist Edward Stourton, whose career spanned more than 40 years including a decade on Radio 4's Today, has died aged 68. Stourton, who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2014, died on Saturday surrounded by his family, the BBC announced in a statement. The presenter's friend and former Today co-host James Naughtie praised Stourton's "warm intelligence and wit", adding he was "one of the best colleagues". Radio 4 controller Mohit Bakaya described Stourton as an "absolutely outstanding broadcaster", while the BBC's interim news chief Jonathan Munro said it was "far too soon to lose Ed". In his 2023 memoir Confessions, Stourton revealed he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer nearly a decade earlier. He had treatment but was later told it had become incurable and spread. Stourton continued to work until very recently. Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Edward Stourton photographed at home in 2003 Edward Stourton's career began at ITN, where he helped launch Channel 4 News and became the programme's first Washington correspondent in the latter years of the Reagan presidency. He joined the BBC as Paris correspondent in 1988, and after a period back at ITN as diplomatic editor, returned to present the One O'Clock News on BBC One. His BBC work also included Panorama, Assignment, Correspondent, as well as a phone-in programme on Radio 4, Call Ed Stourton. Stourton became a presenter of the flagship Today programme in 1999, where his immense experience as a foreign correspondent served him well while reporting from countries such as Lebanon and Afghanistan. He was also one of the first correspondents to reach New York after the 9/11 terror attacks. Image caption, Stourton in 2007 with Today co-hosts Carolyn Quinn, John Humphrys, Sarah Montague and James Naughtie His departure from Today in 2008 was leaked to a newspaper before he had been told, upsetting Stourton and many of his colleagues, but he remained at the BBC and went on to present several other news programmes. In recent years, as well as writing and presenting documentaries for Radio 4, Stourton fronted the network's religious affairs programme, Sunday, as well as regularly hosting The World At One and The World This Weekend. Stourton was born in 1957 in Nigeria, where his father was working, and also spent time as a boy in Geneva. He was educated at Ampleforth College and read English Literature at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was President of the Union. His Catholic faith was an important part of his life, and reflected in his writing. Among his many books was John Paul II: Man of History, a revelatory biography of the former Pope. His last book, written to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence, was Made in America: the Dark History that Led to Donald Trump. Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Edward Stourton attends a photocall during