George Alagiah’s own words were read by an emotional Sophie Raworth at his memorial service, which was attended by former BBC colleagues in their droves as they paid tribute to the newsreader.
Ms Raworth read the memorial, penned by Mr Alagiah at St Martin-in-the-Fields church, London, in which he urged listeners to tell their loved ones how much they meant to them.
She told the congregation: “We end the programme today with George in his own words. If you haven’t already told the people you love, that you love them, tell them. If you haven’t already told them how vulnerable you sometimes feel, tell them.
“If you want to tell them that you would like to be with them until the front hall stairs feel like Everest, tell them. You never know what is coming around the corner. And if, lucky you, there is nothing around the corner, then at least you got your defence in first.”
A time for reflection
The elegy also noted that death from cancer was in some ways less brutal than a car crash as it allowed for time for reflection.
“It is a painful yet exclusive luxury to be living with cancer because, for the most part, it is a story of a death foretold,” he said, according to the BBC. “Many of us cancer patients know that our time is running out so there is time for reflection. It is not the brutality of a car crash.”
The service was attended by Mr Alagiah’s wife Frances Robathan, with whom he had two children, and led by Reverend Dr Sam Wells, featuring music from the London African Gospel Choir.
BBC presenters such as Mishal Husain, Fiona Bruce and Nick Robinson were also in attendance.
Mr Alagiah, who was born in Sri Lanka, presented BBC One’s News At Six from 2007 and was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in April 2014.
He went through two rounds of chemotherapy and several operations, and had most of his liver removed.
His cancer returned in 2017 and in 2021 he took a break from his duties to be treated for a further spread of cancer before returning in 2022. In October last year he announced he would be taking a break from presenting following another scan.
Mr Alagiah died on July 24 in London aged 67.
Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
