Nicholas Owen
Encyclopedia
Nicholas David Arundel Owen (born 10 February 1947) is a British journalist and television presenter
. He now works for the BBC
, presenting on the BBC News channel and BBC One
.
in 1968. He worked for the Evening Standard
and the Daily Telegraph before spending seven years with the Financial Times
. He then joined the magazine Now in 1979 as Deputy Business Editor, later becoming Business Editor.
In 1981 Owen switched to television reporting, joining the BBC
in the North of England, covering general and industrial stories for both regional and national news and current affairs programmes.
in 1984, as Channel 4 News
' Business and Economics Correspondent. During the first Gulf War he presented the highly-acclaimed Midnight Special Programmes when they were launched on Channel Four. He also anchored The Parliament Programme, Channel Four's first daytime political series.
From 1994 to April 2000 Owen was Royal Correspondent for ITV News
. In that capacity he played a major role in reporting on the death and funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales
. He compiled a book on her life entitled Diana – The People's Princess.
In 2003, Owen became the main presenter of the ITV Lunchtime News on ITV
. In 2004, he was joined by Katie Derham
on the programme, therefore he became a co-presenter. He contributed heavily to ITN's coverage of budgetary matters
's nightly game show The Mint
and gave away the jackpot of over £130,000 to the winner.
The BBC
Press Office announced in November 2006 that Owen had signed to BBC News
as a presenter. Owen's last broadcast on ITV was the ITV Evening News on 7 February 2007, and he took up his BBC News post on 3 March 2007. Owen regularly presents the Sunday 9am-1pm shift on the BBC News channel, as well as being a main relief presenter for the BBC Weekend News
on BBC One
.
. He has four children--a son and daughter, stepson and stepdaughter--and two grandchildren. He has a passion for railway trains, and has written a book on the history of the trolley bus. He provides the voiceover on the Tramlink
in Croydon
, telling passengers where the tram is going, and what the next stop is. He is also a Vice Patron of the Bluebell Railway's project to extend the line towards East Grinstead, having reported on the extension himself.
In July 2002, Owen was diagnosed with kidney cancer
, and he became an Honorary Patron of Kidney Cancer UK in 2003. On 23 August 2007, Owen was a celebrity guest in an episode of the live television programme Doctor, Doctor
broadcast on channel Five, in which he talked about his kidney cancer with the presenter and GP, Mark Porter
. Owen explained that the cancer was found unexpectedly when he had a scan for abdominal pains, and that he had an operation to remove the diseased right kidney with the encapsulated tumour. He also said that no evidence of tumour recurrence was found at his recent five-year post-operative check.
In September 2006, Owen became a Patron of the children's charity Hope for Children Owen is a celebrity supporter for the British Red Cross
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
. He now works for the 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...
, presenting on the BBC News channel and BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
.
Biography
Owen began his journalistic career on the Surrey Mirror in 1964 before moving to Fleet StreetFleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
in 1968. He worked for the Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
and the Daily Telegraph before spending seven years with the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
. He then joined the magazine Now in 1979 as Deputy Business Editor, later becoming Business Editor.
In 1981 Owen switched to television reporting, joining the 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...
in the North of England, covering general and industrial stories for both regional and national news and current affairs programmes.
ITN
Owen moved to ITNIndependent Television News
ITN is a news and content provider with headquarters in the United Kingdom. It is made up of four key businesses: ITN News, ITN Source, ITN Productions and ITN Consulting. The ITN logotype can be displayed in any of 4 different colours, each of which represents a business unit. This is the...
in 1984, as Channel 4 News
Channel 4 News
Channel 4 News is the news division of British television broadcaster Channel 4. It is produced by ITN, and has been in operation since the broadcaster's launch in 1982.-Channel 4 News:...
' Business and Economics Correspondent. During the first Gulf War he presented the highly-acclaimed Midnight Special Programmes when they were launched on Channel Four. He also anchored The Parliament Programme, Channel Four's first daytime political series.
From 1994 to April 2000 Owen was Royal Correspondent for ITV News
ITV News
ITV News is the branding of news programmes on the British television network ITV. Since 1955, ITV's news bulletins have been produced by Independent Television News . The channel's news coverage has won awards from the Royal Television Society, Emmy Awards and BAFTAs. Between 2004 and 2008, the...
. In that capacity he played a major role in reporting on the death and funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
. He compiled a book on her life entitled Diana – The People's Princess.
In 2003, Owen became the main presenter of the ITV Lunchtime News on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
. In 2004, he was joined by Katie Derham
Katie Derham
Katie Derham is a British newscaster and a presenter on television and radio.-Early life:Derham was born in Stockport to John and Margaret Derham, and grew up in Wilmslow...
on the programme, therefore he became a co-presenter. He contributed heavily to ITN's coverage of budgetary matters
Return to BBC
In October 2006 Owen took part in BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing, however, was voted off in the first week show on 7 October. Also in October 2006, he appeared on ITV PlayITV Play
ITV Play was a 24/7 participation television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV plc. The ITV Play name continued on the ITV Network until December 2007....
's nightly game show The Mint
The Mint (game show)
The Mint was a live, late night, interactive quiz show with celebrity guests and live studio contestants filmed in a large extravagant set designed to look like the inside of a mansion. The programme, which was dogged by criticism that its questions were ambiguous and arbitrary, aired on ITV and...
and gave away the jackpot of over £130,000 to the winner.
The 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...
Press Office announced in November 2006 that Owen had signed to BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
as a presenter. Owen's last broadcast on ITV was the ITV Evening News on 7 February 2007, and he took up his BBC News post on 3 March 2007. Owen regularly presents the Sunday 9am-1pm shift on the BBC News channel, as well as being a main relief presenter for the BBC Weekend News
BBC Weekend News
BBC Weekend News is the national news programmes on BBC One at a weekend although it is often referred to on guides simply as BBC News, or if broadcast at 10pm exactly, BBC News at Ten...
on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
.
Personal life
Owen is married to newspaper reporter Brenda and they live in SurreySurrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. He has four children--a son and daughter, stepson and stepdaughter--and two grandchildren. He has a passion for railway trains, and has written a book on the history of the trolley bus. He provides the voiceover on the Tramlink
Tramlink
Tramlink is a tramway system in south London in the United Kingdom which began operation in May 2000...
in Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, telling passengers where the tram is going, and what the next stop is. He is also a Vice Patron of the Bluebell Railway's project to extend the line towards East Grinstead, having reported on the extension himself.
In July 2002, Owen was diagnosed with kidney cancer
Kidney cancer
Kidney cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the cells in the kidney.The two most common types of kidney cancer are renal cell carcinoma and urothelial cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis...
, and he became an Honorary Patron of Kidney Cancer UK in 2003. On 23 August 2007, Owen was a celebrity guest in an episode of the live television programme Doctor, Doctor
Doctor, Doctor (Five TV)
Doctor, Doctor is a live talk show broadcast on British television on Five hosted by the presenters Mark Porter and Raj Persaud...
broadcast on channel Five, in which he talked about his kidney cancer with the presenter and GP, Mark Porter
Mark Porter (doctor)
Mark Porter, MBE is a GP and medical correspondent for The Times. He also has a weekly programme on Radio 4 called Case Notes and joined The One Show on BBC One in 2011....
. Owen explained that the cancer was found unexpectedly when he had a scan for abdominal pains, and that he had an operation to remove the diseased right kidney with the encapsulated tumour. He also said that no evidence of tumour recurrence was found at his recent five-year post-operative check.
In September 2006, Owen became a Patron of the children's charity Hope for Children Owen is a celebrity supporter for the British Red Cross
British Red Cross
The British Red Cross Society is the United Kingdom branch of the worldwide impartial humanitarian organisation the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was formed in 1870, and is a registered charity with over 31,000 volunteers and 2,600 staff. At the heart of their work...