The British Broadcasting Corporation has confirmed that one of its top newsreader George Alagiah is battling bowel cancer.
A statement from the BBC reads thus: George Alagiah has recently been diagnosed with bowel cancer and will be off air for a while as he undergoes treatment.
“He is grateful for all the good wishes he has received and is optimistic for a positive outcome. George asks that he and his family are given the space and privacy they require whilst he recovers.
“Our thoughts are with him and his family and we send them our very best wishes during this time. Until such time as George is well enough to return to work, the BBC News at Six and GMT on BBC World News will be presented by familiar faces from BBC News.”
The 58-year-old who last fronted BBC1’s 6pm bulletin a week ago, took over as its main presenter in 2007. He previously shared the role with Natasha Kaplinsky.
Before becoming a presenter, he had served the BBC as a foreign correspondent, often as a specialist in Africa with coverage of civil wars in Somalia and Liberia, as well as the genocide in Rwanda 20 years ago.