Peter Sissons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter Sissons
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| Born |
Peter George Sissons
17 July 1942 Liverpool, England
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| Died | 1 October 2019 (aged 77) Maidstone, England
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| Education | Liverpool Institute for Boys |
| Alma mater | University College, Oxford |
| Years active | 1964–2009 |
| Known for | Broadcast journalism |
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Notable credit(s)
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| Spouse(s) |
Sylvia Bennett
(m. 1965) |
| Children | 3 |
Peter George Sissons (born July 17, 1942 – died October 1, 2019) was a famous English journalist and TV presenter. He worked as a newscaster for major TV channels like ITV and Channel 4. Later, he became well-known for hosting the BBC's Question Time and presenting the BBC Nine O'Clock News and Ten O'Clock News. Peter Sissons retired from the BBC in 2009 and passed away in 2019 at the age of 77.
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Early Life and Education
Peter Sissons was born in Liverpool, England, on July 17, 1942. He was one of four brothers. His father, George Robert Percival Sissons, worked in the Merchant Navy.
Peter went to Dovedale Junior School. He even went to school with famous people like John Lennon and Jimmy Tarbuck. After that, he attended the Liverpool Institute for Boys from 1953 to 1961. At this school, his classmates included George Harrison and Paul McCartney from the Beatles.
He later studied at University College, Oxford. There, he focused on philosophy, politics and economics. He was also involved in a drama group, where he helped with acting, producing, and organizing plays.
Career in Television News
Peter Sissons had a long and successful career in television news. He worked for several major news organizations.
Working at ITN
Peter Sissons started his journalism career at ITN in 1964. He worked hard to become a respected journalist.
- Reporting from War Zones: In 1968, he reported from the Biafran War. During this time, he was injured by gunfire. He recovered and continued his work.
- Industrial Editor: After his recovery, he became ITN's Industrial Editor. He covered many important worker disputes in the 1970s.
- News Presenter: From 1976, Sissons began presenting ITN's News at One. He also helped cover the general elections in 1983 and 1987.
Launching Channel 4 News
In 1982, Peter Sissons helped launch the first edition of Channel 4 News. He presented the program for seven years.
- Key Debates: He hosted important debates, including one between leaders during the miners' strike in the 1980s.
- Major News Events: He was also the presenter on the night of the Lockerbie bombing in December 1988. This was a very sad and important news event.
- Facing Challenges: In 1989, he received a threat after an interview he did. This showed the challenges journalists sometimes face.
Peter Sissons left ITN in 1989 to join the BBC.
Joining the BBC
At the BBC, Peter Sissons took on new and important roles.
- Question Time Host: In June 1989, he became the host of Question Time. This is a popular show where politicians and public figures answer questions. He hosted it until 1993.
- General Election Coverage: He also helped present the BBC's coverage of the 1992 general election.
- Main News Anchor: From 1993 to 2003, he presented the main BBC news programs, including the BBC Nine O'Clock News and the Ten O'Clock News.
- A Memorable Broadcast: In 2002, Peter Sissons announced the death of the Queen Mother on the BBC. There was some discussion about his choice of tie during this very serious announcement. He later explained his choice.
After 2003, Sissons continued to present news on BBC News 24. He also sometimes presented weekend news on BBC One.
Retirement from the BBC
Peter Sissons retired from the BBC in 2009. He decided to retire to write his memoirs, which are like a story of his life. He mentioned that a particular interview he did made him feel it was time to leave. He felt that some producers were trying to influence his questions.
Autobiography
After retiring, Peter Sissons published his autobiography in 2011. It was called When One Door Closes. In his book, he shared his thoughts on how the BBC worked. He believed that the organization had certain viewpoints. He also noted that producers often looked at certain newspapers for ideas on what stories to cover.
Personal Life
Peter Sissons was married to Sylvia Bennett. They had three children together. One of his children, Kate Sissons, became an actress. Peter lived in Sevenoaks, Kent, and also had a second home in Barbados.
He was a big fan of Liverpool Football Club his whole life. He also gave a lecture about the city of Liverpool in 2008.
Death
Peter Sissons passed away on October 1, 2019, at the age of 77. He died from leukaemia at the Maidstone Hospital in Kent. Many people shared tributes to him. The Director-General of the BBC, Tony Hall, called him "one of the great television figures of his time." Other famous journalists and even his former classmate Paul McCartney also shared their sadness.
