This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/nov/08/john-cole-bbc-political-editor-dies
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| John Cole, former BBC political editor, dies aged 85 | John Cole, former BBC political editor, dies aged 85 |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| John Cole, the BBC's former political editor, has died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Surrey aged 85. | John Cole, the BBC's former political editor, has died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Surrey aged 85. |
| Cole was familiar to a generation of viewers for covering major stories during the Margaret Thatcher era, including the miners' strike and the Brighton bombing. | |
| A former deputy editor of the Guardian and the Observer, Cole retired from the BBC in 1992 after over a decade at the corporation. | A former deputy editor of the Guardian and the Observer, Cole retired from the BBC in 1992 after over a decade at the corporation. |
| "While many people will remember John for his journalism and broadcasting, for us he was the most loving, funny and devoted husband, father and grandfather," his family said in a statement on Friday morning. "We will miss him terribly, but have so many memories of the tremendous happiness he has brought into our lives." | |
| He is survived by his wife Madge, four sons – Donald, Patrick, David and Michael – and nine grandchildren. | He is survived by his wife Madge, four sons – Donald, Patrick, David and Michael – and nine grandchildren. |
| An erudite and incisive political journalist, Cole guided viewers through a tumultuous period in British history during Thatcher's time in office. | |
| He quickly became distinctive for his trademark overcoat and Ulster brogue, which drew satire from Private Eye and the ITV show Spitting Image. | |
| Cole was born in Belfast on 23 November 1927 into a Protestant unionist family. He embarked on a distinguished career in newspapers at the age of 17, when he joined the Belfast Telegraph before moving to the Guardian, then based in Manchester, in 1956. | |
| His arrival at the BBC in 1981 was "by accident", he once remarked, adding: "Us modern Presbyterians don't believe in predestination, but on this occasion I thought I'd give it a whizz." | |
| That proved to be a great understatement, with Cole charting the course of British politics from 1981 to 1992 often from the heart of the action. | |
| He was in Brighton in 1984 when an IRA bomb exploded at the Grand hotel, memorably securing a pavement interview with Thatcher who insisted stoically that the Tory party conference would go ahead in spite of the blast. | |
| News of Cole's death was marked with tributes from leading figures in politics and broadcasting. | |
| David Cameron's official spokesman said: "The prime minister is deeply saddened by the news and would send his condolences, of course, to Mr Cole's family and friends. | |
| "He is someone who contributed so much to British political life." | |
| The BBC's current political editor, Nick Robinson, added: "Sad news. The man I learnt so much from, the BBC's former political editor John Cole, has died. He shaped the way all in my trade do our jobs." | |
| Jeremy Vine, the BBC presenter, described Cole as "one of the most gifted broadcasters ever" and the BBC's Mark Simpson called him "a journalistic legend". | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |