Who was John Stapleton? Renowned English journalist dies at 79
Celebrated broadcaster John Stapleton passed away at 79. He gained fame with BBC’s Watchdog and ITV’s News Hour. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s, he was supported by family during his illness.
Renowned television presenter John Stapleton has died peacefully in hospital at the age of 79, his agent has confirmed.
Who was John Stapleton?
John Stapleton, who became one of the best-known faces of factual broadcasting, presented programmes such as the BBC’s Watchdog and GMTV’s News Hour. He began his career at the Oldham Chronicle before moving into national television.
His agent, Jackie Gill, said his Parkinson’s disease had been made worse by pneumonia, and that his son Nick and daughter-in-law Lisa had been “constantly at his side”.
Former Good Morning Britain presenter Charlotte Hawkins paid tribute, describing him as a “brilliant broadcaster” and a “genuinely lovely man”.
Erron Gordon, co-creator of Good Morning Britain and now a BBC department head, recalled Stapleton’s remarkable presence on screen. “He had an innate ability to navigate any challenge from breaking news to technical hiccups, whether in the studio or on location he was brilliant,” he said, adding that his versatility was “unmatched”.
Stapleton’s career in television began when he joined the BBC’s Nationwide in 1975. He later worked on Newsnight from its launch in 1980, reporting from Argentina during the Falklands War.
In 1983, he moved to ITV and became part of the launch team for TV-am, before returning to the BBC three years later. There, he fronted the consumer programme Watchdog alongside his wife, journalist Lynn Faulds Wood.
Wood died in 2020 following a stroke. Four years later, Stapleton received his Parkinson’s diagnosis, supported by their son Nick, who followed his parents into journalism at the BBC.
Stapleton remained admired throughout his long career for his warmth, professionalism, and commitment to public service broadcasting.