Michael Nicholson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Nicholson
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| Born | 9 January 1937 Romford, England
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| Died | 11 December 2016 (aged 79) |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Spouse(s) | Diana |
Michael Nicholson (born January 9, 1937 – died December 11, 2016) was a famous English journalist. He was especially known for reporting from many wars around the world. He also worked as a newscaster for ITN, a British news channel.
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Early Life and Education
Michael Nicholson was born in Romford, Essex, England, on January 9, 1937. His father was an officer in the Royal Engineers. Michael spent some of his childhood living in West Germany. He later studied at Leicester University.
Reporting from War Zones
Nicholson started working for ITV in 1964. Over the next 40 years, he reported from 18 different war zones. These included places like Biafra, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and the Falklands War. He was known for being brave and getting close to the action.
Reporting in Cyprus and Vietnam
In July 1974, during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, Nicholson's car broke down. Turkish soldiers were landing nearby. He walked up to them and introduced himself, saying, "I'm Michael Nicholson. Welcome to Cyprus." His news report was quickly sent back to London.
In 1975, Nicholson went to South Vietnam. He reported on the final days of the Fall of Saigon. He saw thousands of people trying to leave the country by American helicopters. Nicholson himself took a helicopter from the US Embassy to a ship waiting at sea.
Reporting in Africa
From 1976 to 1981, Nicholson was ITN's first bureau chief in South Africa. He was the first TV reporter allowed to live in South Africa during Apartheid. Apartheid was a system where people were separated by race. He covered important events like the Soweto riots. He also interviewed Robert Mugabe after he was released from prison.
In 1978, Nicholson and his team were in Angola to interview a leader named Jonas Savimbi. They were chased by soldiers and got trapped. They spent four and a half months walking about 1,500 miles through the bush. Eventually, they were rescued by helicopter.
The Falklands War
When the Falklands War started in 1982, Nicholson was on holiday. He quickly traveled to join the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes. He sailed for six weeks to the South Atlantic. He said this war felt special because he was reporting among his own people. He and another journalist, Brian Hanrahan, would fly to other ships to send their reports. After the war, Nicholson received the South Atlantic Medal.
Working as a Newscaster
Besides war reporting, Nicholson also worked as a television newscaster. He was a presenter on ITN's News at 545 from 1976 to 1986. He would often host the news and also fill in for other presenters. In 1986, he decided to go back to reporting from the field. He became ITN's Chief Foreign Correspondent from 1989 to 1999.
Later Career and Awards
Nicholson continued his work as a war reporter. He sent reports from the Gulf War in 1991 and the Yugoslav Wars in 1992. He was honored on the TV show This Is Your Life in 1991. Later, he worked for ITV's 'Tonight' program and BBC Radio.
He won many awards for his reporting, including:
- International Film & Television Monte Carlo 'Silver Nymph Award' (1976)
- South Atlantic Medal (1982)
- Royal Television Society's 'Journalist of the Year' (1991, and two more times)
- 'Richard Dimbleby Award' for Services to Television (1992)
- Order of the British Empire (1992)
- 'Specialist Reporter of the Year' (1998), Royal Television Society
Natasha's Story
While reporting from Sarajevo in 1992, Nicholson found 200 orphans living in a damaged building. Four children had already died. He asked officials to help evacuate them. He especially wanted to help a nine-year-old girl named Natasha, who had been left alone.
Nicholson managed to get Natasha out of the country. He brought her to London Heathrow airport and told immigration officials she was his daughter. Even though there were some protests, he successfully adopted her. Natasha grew up in Surrey, England, and later studied sports science.
Nicholson wrote a book about his experience called Natasha's Story. A movie called Welcome to Sarajevo (1997) was based on his book.
Personal Life
Michael Nicholson lived with his wife, Diana, and their two sons, Thomas and William. He also had two adopted daughters, Natasha and Ana (from Brazil). They lived in Grayswood, Haslemere, Surrey.
Death
Michael Nicholson passed away on December 11, 2016, at the age of 79. He was on a holiday cruise ship in the Persian Gulf with his wife.
