A veteran ITV presenter has died aged 97, his family have confirmed, with the veteran broadcaster being one of the most recognisable faces in British television for decades
Veteran ITV journalist and broadcaster Sandy Gall has passed away at the age of 97, his family has announced.
In a poignant statement, they celebrated his remarkable life, saying: “His was a great life, generously and courageously lived.” According to his family, Sandy passed away at his home in Kent on Sunday. The news has sparked an outpouring of tributes, including from former colleague Alastair Stewart, who wrote on X: “RIP the great Sandy GALL CMG, CBE – a giant from the good days of ITV- reporter and presenter.”
He added: “What a loss in Sandy Gall’s death a brilliant reporter and presenter and a thoroughly nice man.”
Fans were quick pay their respects, with one commenting: “Very sad news to hear about Sandy. He will be sorely missed by those who remember him fondly as a friend, father and colleague. My condolences go to his family”, reports the Express.
Another echoed: “One of the best from a time when the industry was admired, but most of all, believed and trusted. Sad news.” A third added: “He was part of my childhood. RIP Sandy.”
With a career spanning over five decades, Gall became a household name, initially as a foreign correspondent for ITV, before co-presenting News at Ten. His journey began at the Aberdeen Press and Journal, followed by a ten-year stint as a foreign correspondent at Reuters news agency.
He joined ITV in 1963, rapidly becoming a familiar face in British broadcasting, and remained with the network until his retirement in 1992. His extensive career as a correspondent and broadcaster led him across the globe to report on some of the most significant historical events of the 20th century.
Gall went on to co-present News At Ten in 1970, which was then the UK’s most watched news programme.
One of his initial assignments with ITV took place in Dallas, Texas, just a few hours after President Kennedy’s assassination.
Throughout his career, he reported on major global events such as the Vietnam War, the Soviet-Afghan War and America’s civil rights movement, even interviewing Martin Luther King in 1965.
He was also among the handful of journalists who stayed in Vietnam following the North Vietnamese victory to cover the fall of Saigon in 1975.
He later became the founder and chairman of Sandy Gall’s Afghanistan Appeal, a charity for disabled Afghans that ran for nearly 40 years.
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