Nicholas Owen (journalist)

For other persons by this name, see Nicholas Owen. For the BBC presenter also born 1947, see Nick Owen

Nicholas Owen
Born	Nicholas David Arundel Owen 10 February 1947 (1947-02-10) (age 64) England
Occupation	Journalist, newsreader, broadcaster, writer
Spouse(s)	Brenda Owen
Children	2 and 2 step-children
Years active	1964–present
Notable credit(s)	BBC News ITV News

Nicholas David Arundel Owen (born 10 February 1947) is a British journalist and television presenter. He now works for the BBC, presenting on the BBC News channel and BBC One.

Biography

Owen began his journalistic career on the Surrey Mirror in 1964 before moving to Fleet Street in 1968. He worked for the Evening Standard and the Daily Telegraph before spending seven years with the Financial Times. He then joined the magazine Now in 1979 as Deputy Business Editor, later becoming Business Editor.

In 1981 Owen switched to television reporting, joining the BBC in the North of England, covering general and industrial stories for both regional and national news and current affairs programmes.

ITN

Owen moved to ITN in 1984, as Channel 4 News' Business and Economics Correspondent. During the first Gulf War he presented the highly-acclaimed Midnight Special Programmes when they were launched on Channel Four. He also anchored The Parliament Programme, Channel Four's first daytime political series.

From 1994 to April 2000 Owen was Royal Correspondent for ITV News. In that capacity he played a major role in reporting on the death and funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. He compiled a book on her life entitled Diana – The People's Princess.

In 2003, Owen became the main presenter of the ITV Lunchtime News on ITV. In 2004, he was joined by Katie Derham on the programme, therefore he became a co-presenter. He contributed heavily to ITN's coverage of budgetary matters

Return to BBC

In October 2006 Owen took part in BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing, however, was voted off in the first week show on 7 October. Also in October 2006, he appeared on ITV Play's nightly game show The Mint and gave away the jackpot of over £130,000 to the winner.

The BBC Press Office announced in November 2006 that Owen had signed to BBC News as a presenter. Owen's last broadcast on ITV was the ITV Evening News on 7 February 2007, and he took up his BBC News post on 3 March 2007.^[1] Owen regularly presents the Sunday 9am-1pm shift on the BBC News channel, as well as being a main relief presenter for the BBC Weekend News on BBC One.

Personal life

Owen is married to newspaper reporter Brenda and they live in Surrey. He has four children--a son and daughter, stepson and stepdaughter--and two grandchildren. He has a passion for railway trains, and has written a book on the history of the trolley bus. He provides the voiceover on the Tramlink in Croydon, telling passengers where the tram is going, and what the next stop is. He is also a Vice Patron of the Bluebell Railway's project to extend the line towards East Grinstead, having reported on the extension himself.

In July 2002, Owen was diagnosed with kidney cancer, and he became an Honorary Patron of Kidney Cancer UK in 2003.^[2] On 23 August 2007, Owen was a celebrity guest in an episode of the live television programme Doctor, Doctor broadcast on channel Five, in which he talked about his kidney cancer with the presenter and GP, Mark Porter. Owen explained that the cancer was found unexpectedly when he had a scan for abdominal pains, and that he had an operation to remove the diseased right kidney with the encapsulated tumour. He also said that no evidence of tumour recurrence was found at his recent five-year post-operative check.

In September 2006, Owen became a Patron of the children's charity Hope for Children^[3] Owen is a celebrity supporter for the British Red Cross^[4]

References

1. ^ BBC - Press Office - Nicholas Owen signs to BBC News 24
2. ^ About KCUK
3. ^ Hope for Children
4. ^ Profile on the Red Cross site

External links

• Nicholas Owen at the Internet Movie Database
• Photograph
• Nicholas Owen interviews a high profile figure in his home county each month for Surrey Life magazine

Persondata
Name	Owen, Nicholas
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	10 February 1947
Place of birth	, UK
Date of death
Place of death