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| BBC journalist Wheeler dies at 85 | BBC journalist Wheeler dies at 85 |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Veteran journalist Sir Charles Wheeler, the BBC's longest-serving foreign correspondent, has died at the age of 85 after suffering from lung cancer. | Veteran journalist Sir Charles Wheeler, the BBC's longest-serving foreign correspondent, has died at the age of 85 after suffering from lung cancer. |
| A reporter, presenter and producer, he covered stories such as the assassination of Martin Luther King and Watergate when based in Washington. | A reporter, presenter and producer, he covered stories such as the assassination of Martin Luther King and Watergate when based in Washington. |
| He spent eight years in the US capital, also reporting on the shooting of presidential candidate Robert Kennedy. | He spent eight years in the US capital, also reporting on the shooting of presidential candidate Robert Kennedy. |
| He was considered "a legend", BBC director general Mark Thompson said. | He was considered "a legend", BBC director general Mark Thompson said. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYI can remember his reports from around the world as a kid growing up; he was a fantastic broadcaster Michael Byron-Hehir, ManchesterSend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYI can remember his reports from around the world as a kid growing up; he was a fantastic broadcaster Michael Byron-Hehir, ManchesterSend us your comments |
| "His integrity, his authority and his humanity graced the BBC's airwaves over many decades," he added. | "His integrity, his authority and his humanity graced the BBC's airwaves over many decades," he added. |
| "He is utterly irreplaceable but like everyone else, I am privileged to have worked with him." | "He is utterly irreplaceable but like everyone else, I am privileged to have worked with him." |
| Sir Charles, who was born in the German city of Bremen, began his media career at the Daily Sketch newspaper. | Sir Charles, who was born in the German city of Bremen, began his media career at the Daily Sketch newspaper. |
| He ran errands at the now-defunct publication, having been inspired to become a journalist by a film he had seen as a teenager. | He ran errands at the now-defunct publication, having been inspired to become a journalist by a film he had seen as a teenager. |
| 'Magnificent' man | 'Magnificent' man |
| After five years in the Marines at the end of World War II, he joined the BBC in 1947 and spent 11 years as a writer and reporter for the BBC World Service. | After five years in the Marines at the end of World War II, he joined the BBC in 1947 and spent 11 years as a writer and reporter for the BBC World Service. |
| Spells as the corporation's correspondent in South Asia and Germany followed, before his move to Washington. | Spells as the corporation's correspondent in South Asia and Germany followed, before his move to Washington. |
| He was also known as one of the faces of the BBC's Panorama and Newsnight programmes. | He was also known as one of the faces of the BBC's Panorama and Newsnight programmes. |
| Sir Charles was born in Germany in 1923 and was educated in KentHe received a knighthood for services to journalism in 2006, and won two Baftas and several Royal Television Society awards - including one in 1997 for a documentary on the murder of London teenager Stephen Lawrence. | Sir Charles was born in Germany in 1923 and was educated in KentHe received a knighthood for services to journalism in 2006, and won two Baftas and several Royal Television Society awards - including one in 1997 for a documentary on the murder of London teenager Stephen Lawrence. |
| Mark Damazer, the controller of BBC Radio 4, said Sir Charles was a "magnificent" man who "embodied all that is best in the BBC's journalism". | Mark Damazer, the controller of BBC Radio 4, said Sir Charles was a "magnificent" man who "embodied all that is best in the BBC's journalism". |
| "He had a brilliant eye and an unequalled ability to convey what he saw and what he knew." | "He had a brilliant eye and an unequalled ability to convey what he saw and what he knew." |
| Mr Damazer said Sir Charles's work for Radio 4 over the past decade "demonstrated his astonishing range, dealing with central and eastern Europe, but also - and superbly - with the legacy at home of World War II". | Mr Damazer said Sir Charles's work for Radio 4 over the past decade "demonstrated his astonishing range, dealing with central and eastern Europe, but also - and superbly - with the legacy at home of World War II". |
| Sir Charles admitted that he preferred being in the field to doing studio workHe had been working "almost until he died" on a programme for Radio 4 on the Dalai Lama, Mr Damazer added. | Sir Charles admitted that he preferred being in the field to doing studio workHe had been working "almost until he died" on a programme for Radio 4 on the Dalai Lama, Mr Damazer added. |
| As a reporter Sir Charles had covered the flight of the Dalai Lama after the Chinese invaded Tibet in 1959. | As a reporter Sir Charles had covered the flight of the Dalai Lama after the Chinese invaded Tibet in 1959. |
| In recent years, he was also critical of the direction of modern broadcasting. | In recent years, he was also critical of the direction of modern broadcasting. |
| He claimed once that television news was "dumbing down" and said the BBC had "lost its way with news". | He claimed once that television news was "dumbing down" and said the BBC had "lost its way with news". |
| He met his future wife, Dip Singh, during his four-year posting in Delhi. They married in 1962 and had two daughters. | He met his future wife, Dip Singh, during his four-year posting in Delhi. They married in 1962 and had two daughters. |
| One of them, Shirin, works in Brussels for the BBC as a correspondent on European politics. | One of them, Shirin, works in Brussels for the BBC as a correspondent on European politics. |
| The other, Marina, is a lawyer and is the wife of London's mayor, Boris Johnson. | The other, Marina, is a lawyer and is the wife of London's mayor, Boris Johnson. |
| BBC Radio 4 will be paying tribute with a special 45-minute programme, Charles Wheeler In His Own Wordsat 1100 BST on Saturday, 5 July or afterwards at the Listen Againpage. |