Alastair Stewart OBE, an English journalist and news anchor, embarked on his career by joining Southern Television in 1976. He subsequently became part of ITN in 1980, where he spent three years working with Channel 4 News before assuming a prominent role as a news presenter for ITV News.
Bio/Wiki
Age-71years
Height- 167.6 cm
Weight-75kg
Born- 22 June 1952
Birthplace- Emsworth, United Kingdom
Full name- Alastair James Stewart
Spouse- Sally Ann Jung (m. 1978)
Profession-Television Presenter, Actor,
Nationality- British
Notable credit(s) – ITN (1980–1992, 2003–2020); LNN (1993–2004); GB News (2021–2023)
Family
Stewart’s birthplace is Emsworth, Hampshire, and he comes from a diverse background, with a Scottish father hailing from Invergarry and an English mother. His father had a career as an officer in the Royal Air Force.
Wife
Stewart married to Sally Ann Jung since 1978. Together with his wife, Stewart resides on a farm located in Bramdean, Hampshire.
Children
Steward and Ann is proud parent of four children. His son, Alex Stewart, previously served as a football analyst for Tifo Football, a branch of The Athletic. Furthermore, he has a familial connection to actor Nick Hendrix, who is his nephew.
Education
Stewart received his education in both Scotland and England. He attended Madras College, a state school in St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, and later studied at Salesian College, an independent school in Farnborough, Hampshire, England, as well as St. Augustine’s Abbey School in Ramsgate, Kent, England. Following his secondary education, he pursued a degree in Economics and Politics at the University of Bristol. During the years 1974 to 1976, he gained work experience by serving with the National Union of Students.
Career
In 1970s Alastair Stewart began his television career in 1976 with Southern Television in Southampton, working as a reporter, industrial correspondent, presenter, and documentary maker.During this time, he conducted one of the last interviews with Lord Mountbatten before Mountbatten’s assassination by the IRA in 1979.He spent six weeks in Ford Open Prison to produce a half-hour documentary.
In 1980s, Stewart joined ITN as an industrial correspondent.From 1983 to 1986, he served as a presenter and reporter for ITN’s Channel 4 News and also presented ITN’s News at 5.45.Stewart provided live coverage of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. He anchored ITN’s award-winning coverage of the Pan Am jet bombing over Lockerbie.
In May 1989, Stewart moved to ITN’s News at Ten bulletins, anchoring live broadcasts during significant events like the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Gulf War.He became the first British television reporter to broadcast live from liberated Kuwait City.
In 1990s Stewart was involved in ITN’s coverage of the annual Budget and various special programs on the ITV network, including state openings of Parliament, by-elections, state visits, and royal weddings.
He co-presented ITV London’s regional news program, London Tonight, from 1993 to September 2009.Stewart presented Alastair Stewart’s Sunday for BBC Radio 5 in 1994 and later joined GMTV, where he anchored Alastair Stewart’s Sunday Programme until 2001.He hosted the ITV show Police Camera Action!, starting in 1994, which showcased video footage of road crimes. However, he was dropped from the role in 2003 due to a drink driving conviction.
In 2000s Stewart presented the ITV News Channel’s coverage of the 2003 Iraq War, hosting a program called Live with Alastair Stewart.He was a key figure in ITV’s national election coverage, co-anchoring network coverage of several general elections. In 2007, Stewart became co-presenter of the ITV Lunchtime News.He also hosted a political program called Moral of the Story for ITV in 2007. In August 2009, he became the main co-presenter of the ITV Evening News.Stewart presented ITV’s general election results program in 2010.
In 2010, he moderated the first-ever UK political leaders’ debates in the 2010 general election.Stewart received honorary doctorates from several universities. He presented ITV documentaries and made his West End theatrical debut in 2015. In June 2015, he continued to appear as a relief newscaster on the ITV Evening News. Stewart covered the 2016 UK European Union membership referendum for ITV News.He returned to Celebrity Mastermind in December 2019.
In early 2020, Stewart was involved in a Twitter dispute that led to his departure from ITV News. Later in 2020, he worked as a relief presenter for Talkradio. In early 2021, he joined GB News to host a weekend news and current affairs program. Stewart announced his retirement from GB News in March 2023 but expressed his intent to contribute as a guest and pundit.
Filmography
- 1980–1982: ITV News Role: Reporter
- 1983–1986: Channel 4 News Role: Reporter
- 1986–1992, 2009–2020: ITV Evening News (previously News at 5.45 )Role: Presenter
- 1986–1992, 2003–2020: ITV Weekend News Role: Presenter
- 1989–1992, 2009–2020: ITV News at Ten Role: Presenter
- 1993–2009: London Tonight Role: Lead Presenter
- 1994–2009: Police Camera Action! Role: Presenter
- 1995–2001: Alastair Stewart’s Sunday Programme Role: Presenter
- 2003–2005: ITV News Live with Alastair Stewart Role: Presenter
- 2005–2020: ITV Lunchtime News Role: Presenter
- 2007: Moral of the Story Role: Presenter
- 2008–2009: The Late News Role: Presenter
- 2008, 2012: Election Night Live: America Decides Role: Presenter
- 2010: The First Election Debate Role: Presenter
- 2010: Election 2010 – The Results Role: Presenter
- 2013: Newsflash: Stories That Stopped the World Role: Presenter
- 2013: Margaret Thatcher: The Woman Who Changed Britain Role: Presenter
- 2014, 2016, 2017: Unbelievable Moments: Caught on Camera Role: Presenter
- 2021–2023: GB News with Alastair Stewart & Friends Role: Presenter
Achievement/ Awards
- The Face of London Award (2002): Stewart was honored with the Face of London Award at the 2002 Royal Television Society awards.
- Presenter of the Year Award (2004): He received the Presenter of the Year Award at the 2004 Royal Television Society awards for his outstanding live coverage of the Beslan siege.
- News Presenter of the Year (2005): Stewart was recognized as the News Presenter of the Year at the 2005 RTS awards for his contributions to the ITV News Channel program “Live with Alastair Stewart.”
- Order of the British Empire (OBE) (2006): In 2006, he was appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his notable services to broadcasting and charity.
- Honorary Doctor of Laws (2008):The University of Bristol awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 2008 in recognition of his contributions to broadcasting.
- Honorary Doctorates (2010, 2011, 2012):Stewart received honorary doctorates from various universities:
- University of Plymouth in September 2010
- University of Winchester in 2011
- University of Sunderland in 2012
Alastair Stewart’s Retirement Due to Health Issues
The broadcaster, aged 71, decided to retire earlier this year, ending a career spanning nearly five decades in the broadcasting industry. Stewart, who had previously worked for ITV News and Channel 4, disclosed that his health was the primary reason for stepping away from his full-time role with the channel. His farewell episode of “Alastair Stewart And Friends,” a discussion program on GB News, aired in March.
Speaking with his former colleague Camilla Tominey, Stewart revealed that he had received a diagnosis of early onset vascular dementia, which had prompted his decision. He described the onset of his condition, stating, “The headline story, and it is relatively dramatic, I suppose, is that about six, nine months ago, I began to feel one of my favorite words: a bit discombobulated.” He clarified that this didn’t involve memory loss but rather difficulties with tasks like tying shoelaces properly and ensuring his tie was straight. He also mentioned issues with punctuality, like arriving too early or late for appointments.
After discussing his concerns with his GP, a scan ultimately revealed that he had experienced a series of “minor strokes” known as infarct strokes, though he had been unaware of these occurrences at the time.
