John Stapleton, renowned journalist and popular GMTV presenter, dies aged 79

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Renowned broadcaster John Stapleton has died at the age of 79.

The well-known journalist, who presented programs like GMTV, Sky News, and Watchdog, passed away in hospital on Sunday, September 21st, 2025, in the early morning.

In 2024, Stapleton announced he had Parkinson’s disease and was living with and managing the condition to the best of his ability.

I was so saddened to hear about his passing. Apparently, he’d been dealing with Parkinson’s for a while, and things got really tough recently when he came down with pneumonia. His agent, Jackie Gill, shared the news, and it just feels incredibly sad for everyone who loved his work.

On Sunday, Gill announced that John had Parkinson’s disease and sadly passed away due to complications from pneumonia.

I was so saddened to hear about John. Apparently, his son Nick and daughter-in-law Lisa were with him constantly, and he passed away peacefully in the hospital this morning. It’s just heartbreaking.

Nick Stapleton is the only child of the late Lynn Faulds Wood, who passed away in 2020 after suffering a stroke, and her husband, Stapleton, whom she was married to for over forty years. They were both well-known as co-presenters of the television show Watchdog.

John Stapleton started his journalism career at local newspapers before working in national media at Fleet Street, and then transitioned to television. He held various positions at the BBC and ITV, contributing to well-known programs like Panorama, Newsnight, and Good Morning Britain.

I first started watching Richard Stapleton back in 1998 when he joined GMTV. I kept seeing him on the show as it evolved – first as Daybreak, and then as Good Morning Britain – right up until 2015. He was a really familiar face on my morning TV!

In 2003, the Royal Television Society named Stapleton News Presenter of the Year, primarily recognizing his reporting on the Iraq War while working at GMTV.

In 2008, Stapleton also spoke openly about how he struggled with anorexia nervosa in his youth.

In a 2024 interview on BBC One’s Morning Live, Mike Stapleton openly discussed his health and how he’s managing life with Parkinson’s disease.

For nearly 50 years, public speaking has been how I’ve made a living,” Stapleton explained to The Guardian.

It’s honestly really tiring when I have to repeat myself constantly. It’s frustrating when people keep asking me, ‘Sorry, what did you say?’ – it happens all the time, and it just wears you down.

I’m realistic about things potentially getting harder, but I make an effort to stay positive – there’s no benefit to dwelling on the negative.

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2025-09-21 13:34