John McCarthy (journalist)
Encyclopedia
John Patrick McCarthy CBE (born 27 November 1956) is a British journalist
, writer and broadcaster, and one of the hostages in the Lebanon hostage crisis
. McCarthy was Britain's longest-held hostage in Lebanon
being held for more than five years.
then Haileybury College
, Hertfordshire, and read American Studies at the University of Hull
.
at the time oif his kidnap by Islamic Jihad
terrorists in Lebanon
in April 1986, and was held in captivity until his release on August 8, 1991. He shared a cell with the Irish
hostage Brian Keenan for several years.
Following his release, he co-authored, with Jill Morrell, a memoir of his years in captivity, entitled Some Other Rainbow. In 1995 he sailed around the coast of Britain with Sandi Toksvig
, making a BBC
documentary TV series and a book of the experience. McCarthy attended university with Toksvig's brother, Nick. John McCarthy currently co-presents the BBC Radio 4
programme Excess Baggage, also with Sandi Toksvig.
had campaigned for his release and public expectations of a re-kindling of the romance between them were high. The couple wrote a book together about his ordeal, but later separated amicably in 1994. McCarthy married Anna Ottewill in April 1999.
where a Students' Union
bar is named after him.
He was appointed a CBE
in 1992.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, writer and broadcaster, and one of the hostages in the Lebanon hostage crisis
Lebanon hostage crisis
The Lebanon hostage crisis refers to the systematic kidnapping in Lebanon of 96 foreign hostages of 21 national origins – mostly American and western European – between 1982 and 1992...
. McCarthy was Britain's longest-held hostage in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
being held for more than five years.
Early life and career
He attended Lochinver House SchoolLochinver House School
Lochinver House School is a preparatory independent school for boys aged between 4 and 13 located in the town of Potters Bar, in Hertfordshire in England.- History :...
then Haileybury College
Haileybury and Imperial Service College
Haileybury and Imperial Service College, , is a prestigious British independent school founded in 1862. The school is located at Hertford Heath, near Hertford, from central London, on of parkland occupied until 1858 by the East India College...
, Hertfordshire, and read American Studies at the University of Hull
University of Hull
The University of Hull, known informally as Hull University, is an English university, founded in 1927, located in Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire...
.
Career
McCarthy was a journalist working for United Press International Television NewsUnited Press International Television News
Successor to earlier UPI television news film operations, United Press International Television News, abbreviated as UPITN, was a television news agency, operating from 1967 to 1985. United Press International Television News and Visnews were the two largest and most important television news...
at the time oif his kidnap by Islamic Jihad
Islamic Jihad Organization
The Islamic Jihad Organization – IJO or Organisation du Jihad Islamique in French, but best known as ‘Islamic Jihad’ for short, was a fundamentalist Shia group known for its activities in the 1980s during the Lebanese Civil War...
terrorists in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
in April 1986, and was held in captivity until his release on August 8, 1991. He shared a cell with the Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
hostage Brian Keenan for several years.
Following his release, he co-authored, with Jill Morrell, a memoir of his years in captivity, entitled Some Other Rainbow. In 1995 he sailed around the coast of Britain with Sandi Toksvig
Sandi Toksvig
Sandra Brigitte “Sandi” Toksvig is a Danish comedian, author and presenter on British radio and television.-Career:...
, making a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
documentary TV series and a book of the experience. McCarthy attended university with Toksvig's brother, Nick. John McCarthy currently co-presents the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
programme Excess Baggage, also with Sandi Toksvig.
Personal life
His former fiancée Jill MorrellJill Morrell
Jill Morrell was the girlfriend of John McCarthy, and was a tireless and effective campaigner for his release from kidnappers who held him in Lebanon for more than 5 years...
had campaigned for his release and public expectations of a re-kindling of the romance between them were high. The couple wrote a book together about his ordeal, but later separated amicably in 1994. McCarthy married Anna Ottewill in April 1999.
Honors/Awards/Affiliations
He is Patron of Freedom from Torture (formerly the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture), and has been awarded an Honorary D.Litt from his alma mater, the University of HullUniversity of Hull
The University of Hull, known informally as Hull University, is an English university, founded in 1927, located in Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire...
where a Students' Union
Students' union
A students' union, student government, student senate, students' association, guild of students or government of student body is a student organization present in many colleges and universities, and has started appearing in some high schools...
bar is named after him.
He was appointed a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1992.
Media references
- The 1993 HBO film Hostages, starring Colin FirthColin FirthSirColin Andrew Firth, CBE is a British film, television, and theatre actor. Firth gained wide public attention in the 1990s for his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 television adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice...
as McCarthy, was a fictionalized account of the Lebanon hostage crisisLebanon hostage crisisThe Lebanon hostage crisis refers to the systematic kidnapping in Lebanon of 96 foreign hostages of 21 national origins – mostly American and western European – between 1982 and 1992...
. - A critically acclaimed film version of the two men's kidnapping and incarceration was made in 2003. Titled Blind FlightBlind FlightBlind Flight is a 2004 British film, directed by John Furse, starring Ian Hart and Linus Roache. It is based on the true-life story of the kidnapping and imprisonment of the Irish academic Brian Keenan and the English journalist John McCarthy, two of the hostages in the Lebanon hostage crisis...
, the BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
film was directed by John FurseJohn FurseJohn Furse may refer to:*John Furse , , film director*John H. Furse, , officer in the US Navy...
starring Ian HartIan HartIan Hart is an English stage, television and film actor.-Early life:Hart, the grandson of Irish immigrants, was born in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. He is one of three siblings and was brought up in a Roman Catholic family...
as Keenan and Linus RoacheLinus RoacheLinus William Roache is an English actor.-Early life:Roache was born in Manchester, the son of Coronation Street actor William Roache and actress Anna Cropper. Roache was educated at Bishop Luffa Church of England School in Chichester, West Sussex and at the independent Rydal School in Colwyn Bay,...
as McCarthy. - In 2006 John McCarthy collaborated with the Composer Adam Gorb and Librettist Ben Kaye to create Thoughts Scribbled on a Blank Wall, an exploration of John's mental torture during his long incarceration. Commissioned by JAM (John Armitage Memorial), the work premiered in Fleet Street to critical acclaim in 2007 and was described by BBC Radio 3's Sean Rafferty as "Powerful stuff. A protest Cantata, the first of a genre." 'Thoughts Scribbled on a Blank Wall' is currently scheduled for CD release in 2011.
- The Stiff Little FingersStiff Little FingersStiff Little Fingers are a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. They formed in 1977, at the height of the Troubles. They started out as a schoolboy band called Highway Star , doing rock covers, until they discovered punk. They split up after six years and four albums, although they...
song Beirut Moon was inspired by John McCarthy's ordeal. It criticized the government for not acting to free him and was subsequently withdrawn from sale. - A major Sky Arts series, Art of Faith, presented by John McCarthy, was broadcast in 2008. The series, produced by Illuminations, was an exploration of the art and architecture of Islam, Christianity and Judaism. In 2009, production of a follow up series of Art of Faith began, featuring Buddhism, Hinduism and religions of the Tao.
- In the second episode of the Christmas special of the British comedy programme The OfficeThe Office (UK TV series)The Office is a British sitcom television series that was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictitious...
, David Brent (played by Ricky GervaisRicky GervaisRicky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, director, radio presenter, producer, musician, and writer.Gervais achieved mainstream fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with friend and frequent collaborator...
) explains how he would like to be interviewed by Michael ParkinsonMichael ParkinsonSir Michael Parkinson, CBE is an English broadcaster, journalist and author. He presented his interview programme, Parkinson, from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007.- Early life :...
. His agent then says that Parkinson only interviews people who have done things. To which Brent replies, referring to journalist John McCarthy: "He had that guy in Lebanon who spent years chained to a radiator, what did he do? Nothing! He was chained to a radiator!"
Books
- Some Other Rainbow by John McCarthy and Jill Morrell (ISBN 0-563-39316-5)
- Between Extremes by Brian Keenan and John McCarthy (ISBN 0-552-14595-5)
- A Ghost Upon Your Path by John McCarthy (ISBN 0-593-04884-9)
- An Evil Cradling by Brian Keenan, (McCarthy is a main character) (ISBN 0-14-023641-4)