Sir James William Alexander Burnet, known as Alastair Burnet, was a British journalist and broadcaster, best known for his work in news and current affairs programmes, including a long career with ITN as chief presenter of the flagship News at Ten; Sir Robin Day described Burnet as "the booster rocket that put ITN into orbit".
22 Facts About Alastair Burnet
2.
Alastair Burnet was born to Scottish parents in Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire, on 12 July 1928.
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Alastair Burnet was educated at the Leys School, a boys' independent school in Cambridge, before reading history at Worcester College, Oxford.
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Alastair Burnet switched to television in 1963, becoming political editor for ITN.
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Alastair Burnet was the main anchor for the ITV network's coverage of the 1964,1966 and 1970 general elections and the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969.
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Alastair Burnet left ITN in 1965 to rejoin The Economist as editor, but continued broadcasting as a reporter and interviewer for Associated-Rediffusion's weekly current affairs programme This Week.
7.
Alastair Burnet returned part-time to ITN in 1967 to launch News at Ten, presenting the first programme on 3 July alongside Andrew Gardner, and presented the short-lived topical interview series Man in the News in 1970.
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Richard Dimbleby 8.
Alastair Burnet switched to the BBC in 1972 to report and present for Panorama and Midweek and to anchor coverage of the February and October 1974 general election programmes, covering the wedding of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips.
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Alastair Burnet then joined the Daily Express as editor, but resigned 18 months later.
10.
Alastair Burnet rejoined ITN in June 1976, initially for a brief stint back on News at Ten, but in September 1976 he became the main presenter for the newly relaunched early evening bulletin News at 5:45.
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Alastair Burnet returned to News at Ten in March 1978.
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Four years later, Alastair Burnet became an associate editor for the programme and joined the ITN board of directors.
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Alastair Burnet continued to present coverage of political events including the 1979,1983 and 1987 general elections, by-elections, budgets and American presidential elections.
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Alastair Burnet presented coverage of the royal family, commentating on the weddings of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 1986 and other state occasions.
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Alastair Burnet wrote and presented several Royal documentaries including In Person: The Prince and Princess of Wales, A Royal Day and The Royal Family in Scotland.
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In February 1990, Alastair Burnet resigned from the ITN board amid a dispute over the future ownership of the company, during which his own proposals to restructure the organisation were rejected.
17.
Alastair Burnet retired from ITN as newscaster and associate editor 18 months later, presenting his final edition of News at Ten on 29 August 1991.
18.
Alastair Burnet was a supporter of Scottish football clubs Rangers and Partick Thistle.
19.
Alastair Burnet's condition meant that he felt comfortable only with close friends; these included his wife, and former ITN News director Diana Edwards-Jones.
20.
Alastair Burnet died peacefully in the early hours of 20 July 2012, at his nursing home in Kensington, where he had been living following a series of strokes.
21.
Alastair Burnet was knighted in the 1984 New Year Honours "for services to journalism and broadcasting".
22.
Alastair Burnet won numerous awards, including the BAFTA Richard Dimbleby award three times in 1966,1970 and 1979.