TV figure whose face greeted us every morning passes away at 79

When John Stapleton asked a young French teacher working behind the bar for a date in 1971, neither of them could have predicted the history they were about to make.

Their partnership, both romantic and professional, would go on to shape British broadcasting for decades.

Yesterday, the industry said goodbye to a man whose presence defined a generation of television.

John Stapleton died peacefully in hospital on Sunday morning at the age of 79, following complications from Parkinson's disease.

His son Nick, also a BBC journalist, and daughter-in-law Lisa were at his side until the end.

From newsroom trainee to national name

Stapleton’s career began at just seventeen as a trainee reporter on the Eccles and Patricroft Journal.

It was the start of a 50-year journey that took him across local newspapers, landmark BBC programmes, and front-line war reporting.

He became one of the main presenters of the BBC’s Nationwide between 1977 and 1980, where he exposed corruption in South Wales councils and investigated protection rackets in Northern Ireland.

Colleague Kate Garraway recalled his early determination, noting that on his very first day in the office he fielded a police call about the Moors murders.

A love story behind the headlines

Stapleton’s personal life was just as intertwined with his broadcasting career.

He met his future wife, Lynn Faulds Wood, in a London pub where she worked part-time while teaching French.

They married in 1977 in Richmond—the same restaurant where they had their first date and later their wedding reception.

The couple lived in St Margarets, London, and were married for 43 years before Lynn’s death in 2020 following a stroke.

Their relationship—personal and professional—was one of television’s most enduring partnerships.

The Watchdog years and beyond

In 1986, Stapleton and Faulds Wood became co-presenters of the BBC’s consumer affairs programme Watchdog.

They presented together until 1993, building a reputation as trusted advocates for the public.

Beyond consumer journalism, Stapleton reported for Panorama and Newsnight, covering the Middle East, El Salvador, and the Falklands War, where he spent three months as Newsnight’s Argentina correspondent.

His achievements continued into the 2000s, when he won the Royal Television Society’s News Presenter of the Year in 2003 for his coverage of the Iraq War.

Over his career, he interviewed every British Prime Minister from James Callaghan onwards.

Private struggles and resilience

Stapleton was open about his health and personal challenges.

He revealed in 2008 that he had struggled with anorexia nervosa in his youth and lived with only one fully functioning kidney.

Together, he and Lynn endured her battle with bowel cancer, which she survived, and also faced the devastating loss of their son, Nicky.

Through all of this, Stapleton remained a steadfast partner and father.

Facing Parkinson’s with courage

In October 2024, Stapleton disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

He faced the illness with the same quiet resolve that marked his life and career.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, he said: ‘I’m doing fine. I’m coping, I think.’

He also told viewers: ‘There’s no point in being miserable or trying to change anything. It won’t ever change. Parkinson’s is here with me now for the rest of my life. Best I can do is try and control it and take the advice of all the experts I’m talking to.’

Remembering a broadcasting gentleman

Tributes from colleagues painted a portrait of a generous, professional, and deeply respected man.

Kate Garraway described him as a ‘dear friend and journalistic hero’.

Erron Gordon, co-creator of Good Morning Britain, praised his unmatched versatility, recalling that Stapleton and Penny Smith would bring gifts for the crew every Christmas.

Charlotte Hawkins, another Good Morning Britain presenter, called him ‘a genuinely lovely man’.

Stapleton leaves behind his son Nick, born in 1987, who continues the family tradition in journalism on BBC One’s Scam Interceptors.

From a teenage reporter to a household name, John Stapleton’s career was a story of integrity, resilience, and devotion—both to his craft and to the people he loved.

While reflecting on the remarkable legacy of this broadcaster, it’s worth remembering others who paved the way on our screens and airwaves.

Their stories remind us how television not only informed but also shaped the way generations experienced the world.

One such figure left an unforgettable mark when he first introduced a new era of broadcasting.

Read more: Television pioneer who brought the world to Australia dies at 98

John Stapleton will be remembered as a gentleman of broadcasting whose life and legacy left a lasting mark on British television.