Alastair Burnet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Alastair Burnet
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Burnet in the 1960s
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| Born |
James William Alexander Burnet
12 July 1928 Sheffield. England
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| Died | 20 July 2012 (aged 84) Kensington, London, England
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| Other names | Alastair Burnet |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1963–1991 |
| Employer | ITN |
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Notable credit(s)
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ITV News at Ten |
| Spouse(s) |
Maureen Sinclair
(m. 1958) |
Sir Alastair Burnet (born James William Alexander Burnet, 12 July 1928 – 20 July 2012) was a famous British journalist and TV presenter. He was best known for presenting news shows, especially News at Ten on ITN. Another famous journalist, Sir Robin Day, once said that Burnet was "the booster rocket that put ITN into orbit." This means he helped make ITN very popular and important. Alastair Burnet also worked as a newspaper editor for well-known publications like The Economist and the Daily Express.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alastair Burnet was born on 12 July 1928 in Sheffield, England. His parents were from Scotland. His father worked as an engineer.
Burnet went to the Leys School, which is a private school for boys in Cambridge. After that, he studied history at Worcester College, Oxford, a famous university.
Career in Journalism and Television
Starting as a Reporter
After finishing university, Burnet began his career as a reporter for the Glasgow Herald newspaper. In 1958, he joined The Economist, a well-known magazine. There, he worked as a sub-editor, which means he helped prepare articles for printing. He also wrote important articles and later became an associate editor.
In 1963, Burnet moved into television. He became the political editor for ITN, a major news company. While working as a reporter, he also started presenting the news sometimes. He worked on current affairs shows like Roving Report and Dateline. He also led the TV coverage for important events like the general elections in 1964, 1966, and 1970. He even covered the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969, which was a huge global event.
Returning to Print and TV
In 1965, Burnet left ITN to go back to The Economist as its editor. But he still appeared on TV, reporting and interviewing for a show called This Week.
He returned to ITN part-time in 1967 to help launch News at Ten. He presented the very first show on 3 July, alongside Andrew Gardner. He also hosted a short interview series called Man in the News in 1970.
In 1972, Burnet moved to the BBC. He reported and presented for popular shows like Panorama and Midweek. He also anchored the BBC's coverage of the general elections in February and October 1974. He even covered the wedding of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips. This royal wedding still holds the record for the largest ever British TV audience for an event shown on one channel.
Burnet continued to edit The Economist until 1974. During his time there, he helped increase the magazine's sales by 60%. After that, he became the editor of the Daily Express newspaper. He stayed there for about 18 months.
Back to ITN and Major Events
In June 1976, Alastair Burnet rejoined ITN. He first returned to News at Ten for a short time. Then, in September 1976, he became the main presenter for a new early evening news show called News at 5:45. In March 1978, he returned to News at Ten as its main presenter.
Four years later, Burnet became an associate editor for News at Ten. He also joined the ITN board of directors, helping to make important decisions for the company. He continued to lead the coverage of many political events. This included general elections in 1979, 1983, and 1987. He also covered European Parliament Elections and American presidential elections.
Burnet was also well-known for presenting coverage of the British Royal Family. He commentated on the weddings of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981 and Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 1986. He also presented several documentaries about the Royal Family.
In February 1990, Burnet left the ITN board. He retired from ITN as a newscaster and associate editor 18 months later. His final News at Ten broadcast was on 29 August 1991.
Personal Life
Alastair Burnet was a big fan of Scottish football clubs, especially Rangers and Partick Thistle.
Later Life and Death
After he retired, Alastair Burnet did not appear on television or write for newspapers anymore. He passed away peacefully on 20 July 2012, in London. Many people paid tribute to him, with journalist Andrew Neil calling him "Britain's greatest broadcaster."
Honours and Awards
Alastair Burnet was made a knight in 1984. This honour was given to him for his important contributions to journalism and broadcasting.
He also won many awards during his career. He received the BAFTA Richard Dimbleby award three times, in 1966, 1970, and 1979. This award recognizes excellence in factual television.
