Roger Cook (journalist)
Encyclopedia
Roger Cook is an investigative presenter, reporter and broadcaster.
as a reporter and newsreader on both radio and television.
In 1968, he moved to Britain where he joined BBC Radio 4
's The World At One
programme, and subsequently worked on several other BBC
radio and television programmes, including PM
, Nationwide
, and Newsnight
.
proved to be a colourful encounter. 'When you fight the champion you go 15 rounds, you've got to be prepared to go the whole way,' Arden tells Cook: 'I'll take you with one hand strapped up my arse. You're not a man, you're a creep. You’ll be served with a writ shortly. If you want to dig up dirt about me, I’ll take your last five pounds for doing it.' The promised legal action never happened and Arden's career subsequently went into decline.
, and in 1987 started and presented his own TV series,The Cook Report
. In fact, it was a much better resourced version of his radio programme with a large and dedicated research team which enabled it to operate on an international scale. The show is perhaps best remembered for its ground-breaking filmed 'stings' and for Cook's trademark confrontations with his targets, during which he (and sometimes the film crew) could suffer verbal and physical abuse. Cook was variously described in the press as 'Nemesis in a leisure shirt', 'A cross between Meatloaf and the Equaliser', 'The bravest/most beaten-up journalist in Britain' and 'The Taped Crusader.'
Though sixteen seies,The Cook Report ran regularly until 1998, when dwindling revenues and a focus on other kinds of programming led ITV Network Centre (which had previously cancelled the venerable World in Action) to end The Cook Report too. In its twelve years on air, The Cook Report was by some margin the highest rated current affairs programme on British television, with audiences peaking at over twelve million. In 2007, the programme returned for a 90-minute special entitled Roger Cook's Greatest Hits, in which Cook revisited and updated a number of his more memorable stories.
and was made an Honorary Doctor of Letters by the University in 2004.
show. In October 2011 he released a fully revised and updated autobiography More Dangerous Ground available from Bed & Bolster.
and Reeves and Mortimer. He says he regards it as a compliment. In the eighties his 'Checkpoint' series got its sitcom counterpart in BBC Radio 4
's Delve Special
, where investigative journalist David Lander, played by Stephen Fry
, doorstepped many a villain. When Roger Cook's investigations moved to television, so did his parody, in Channel 4
's This is David Lander
, which was followed later by Tony Slattery
taking over the central role in This is David Harper. Many of Lander and Harper's investigations were based on reports made by Cook, Panorama
and World in Action
.
A puppet version of Cook also appeared several times in the satirical series Spitting Image
. In his favourite sketch, his puppet double goes to the Heavenly Gates and confronts God
as if He were a crooked estate agent
who promised land to the Jews
, only to offer the same land to the Arabs under the name of Allah
.
's 1989 debut album, 101 Damnations
. The relevant line is "someone call up Roger Cook and the United Nations".
Early life
His parents were New Zealanders, but he was was brought up in Australia, and began his career with the Australian Broadcasting CorporationAustralian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
as a reporter and newsreader on both radio and television.
In 1968, he moved to Britain where he joined 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...
's The World At One
The World At One
The World at One, or WATO for short, is BBC Radio 4's long-running lunchtime news and current affairs programme, which is broadcast from 1pm to 1:30pm from Monday to Friday. The programme describes itself as "Britain's leading political programme. With a reputation for rigorous and original...
programme, and subsequently worked on several other 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...
radio and television programmes, including PM
PM (Radio 4)
PM, sometimes referred to as the PM programme to avoid ambiguity, is BBC Radio 4's long-running early evening news and current affairs programme.-Broadcast times:...
, Nationwide
Nationwide (TV series)
Nationwide was a BBC News and Current affairs television programme broadcast on BBC One each weekday following the early evening news. It followed a magazine format, combining political analysis and discussion with consumer affairs, light entertainment and sports reporting...
, and Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
.
Checkpoint
In 1971 he created and presented the Radio 4 programme Checkpoint, which specialised in investigating and exposing criminals, con-men, injustice and official incompetence - and then confronting the wrong-doers on tape. He is credited with creating a new genre of investigative reporting. One 1979 programme about notorious rock manager Don ArdenDon Arden
Don Arden , born Harry Levy, was an English music manager, agent and businessman, best known for overseeing the careers of rock groups Small Faces, Electric Light Orchestra and Black Sabbath....
proved to be a colourful encounter. 'When you fight the champion you go 15 rounds, you've got to be prepared to go the whole way,' Arden tells Cook: 'I'll take you with one hand strapped up my arse. You're not a man, you're a creep. You’ll be served with a writ shortly. If you want to dig up dirt about me, I’ll take your last five pounds for doing it.' The promised legal action never happened and Arden's career subsequently went into decline.
The Cook Report
In 1985 Cook moved to CentralCentral Independent Television
Central Independent Television, more commonly known as Central is the Independent Television contractor for the Midlands, created following the restructuring of ATV and commencing broadcast on 1 January 1982. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting...
, and in 1987 started and presented his own TV series,The Cook Report
The Cook Report
The Cook Report was a British current affairs television programme shown on ITV, produced for the network by Central Television from 1987 to 1998.-History:...
. In fact, it was a much better resourced version of his radio programme with a large and dedicated research team which enabled it to operate on an international scale. The show is perhaps best remembered for its ground-breaking filmed 'stings' and for Cook's trademark confrontations with his targets, during which he (and sometimes the film crew) could suffer verbal and physical abuse. Cook was variously described in the press as 'Nemesis in a leisure shirt', 'A cross between Meatloaf and the Equaliser', 'The bravest/most beaten-up journalist in Britain' and 'The Taped Crusader.'
Though sixteen seies,The Cook Report ran regularly until 1998, when dwindling revenues and a focus on other kinds of programming led ITV Network Centre (which had previously cancelled the venerable World in Action) to end The Cook Report too. In its twelve years on air, The Cook Report was by some margin the highest rated current affairs programme on British television, with audiences peaking at over twelve million. In 2007, the programme returned for a 90-minute special entitled Roger Cook's Greatest Hits, in which Cook revisited and updated a number of his more memorable stories.
Awards
The programme and its production team won eleven national and international awards, culminating in a British Academy of Film & Television Arts (BAFTA) special award for its presenter in 1997 'for 25 years of outstanding quality investigative reporting.'Professorship
Roger Cook also holds an Emeritus Visiting Professorship at the Centre for Broadcasting and Journalism at Nottingham Trent UniversityNottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
and was made an Honorary Doctor of Letters by the University in 2004.
Writing
Roger Cook has published several books including an autobiography, Dangerous Ground, and was interviewed about his book, Roger Cook's Ten Greatest Con-Men (co-written with Tim Tate) on Radio 5 Live on Monday 5 November 2007, on the Stephen NolanStephen Nolan
Stephen Nolan, born Belfast in 1973, is a radio and television presenter for BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Radio Five Live. He was educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution, and Queen's University Belfast where he studied French and Business Studies....
show. In October 2011 he released a fully revised and updated autobiography More Dangerous Ground available from Bed & Bolster.
Parodies
Roger Cook has been parodied by many comedians such as Benny HillBenny Hill
Benny Hill was an English comedian and actor, notable for his long-running television programme The Benny Hill Show.-Early life:...
and Reeves and Mortimer. He says he regards it as a compliment. In the eighties his 'Checkpoint' series got its sitcom counterpart in 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...
's Delve Special
Delve Special
Delve Special was a UK BBC Radio 4 comedy starring Stephen Fry as investigative reporter David Lander. It ran for four series from 1984 to 1987, each series being four episodes long. It was written by Tony Sarchet and produced by Paul Mayhew-Archer...
, where investigative journalist David Lander, played by Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry
Stephen John Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter and film director, and a director of Norwich City Football Club. He first came to attention in the 1981 Cambridge Footlights Revue presentation "The Cellar Tapes", which also...
, doorstepped many a villain. When Roger Cook's investigations moved to television, so did his parody, in Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's This is David Lander
This is David Lander
This is David Lander was a TV show that parodies Roger Cook style door-stepping investigative journalism shows, starring Stephen Fry as David Lander and written by Tony Sarchet....
, which was followed later by Tony Slattery
Tony Slattery
Anthony Declan James "Tony" Slattery is an English actor and comedian who has appeared on British television regularly since the mid 1980s, most notably as a regular on the Channel 4 improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway? As a film actor, both comedic and serious, his credits include The...
taking over the central role in This is David Harper. Many of Lander and Harper's investigations were based on reports made by Cook, Panorama
Panorama (TV series)
Panorama is a BBC Television current affairs documentary programme, which was first broadcast in 1953, and is the longest-running public affairs television programme in the world. Panorama has been presented by many well known BBC presenters, including Richard Dimbleby, Robin Day, David Dimbleby...
and World in Action
World in Action
World in Action was a British investigative current affairs programme made by Granada Television from 1963 until 1998. Its campaigning journalism frequently had a major impact on events of the day. Its production teams often took audacious risks and gained a solid reputation for its often...
.
A puppet version of Cook also appeared several times in the satirical series Spitting Image
Spitting Image
Spitting Image is a British satirical puppet show that aired on the ITV network from 1984 to 1996. It was produced by Spitting Image Productions for Central Television. The series was nominated for 10 BAFTA Awards, winning one for editing in 1989....
. In his favourite sketch, his puppet double goes to the Heavenly Gates and confronts God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
as if He were a crooked estate agent
Estate agent
An estate agent is a person or business that arranges the selling, renting or management of properties, and other buildings, in the United Kingdom and Ireland. An agent that specialises in renting is often called a letting or management agent...
who promised land to the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
, only to offer the same land to the Arabs under the name of Allah
Allah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
.
Personal life
Cook has been married twice, first for 5 years whilst he was still living in Australia. He married his second wife Frances in 1983, they have a daughter Belinda, born 1985.Cultural references
Roger Cook is mentioned in the lyrics of Sheriff Fatman on Carter The Unstoppable Sex MachineCarter USM
Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine is a British indie rock band formed in 1988 by singer Jim "Jim Bob" Morrison and guitarist Les "Fruitbat" Carter. They made their name with a distinctive style of power pop, fusing samples, sequenced basses and drum machines with rock 'n' roll guitars and...
's 1989 debut album, 101 Damnations
101 Damnations (album)
101 Damnations may refer to:*101 Dam-Nations, a 1982 single by Scarlet Party*101 Damnations , a 1989 album by Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine*101 Damnations , a 2002 book edited by Michael J. Rosen...
. The relevant line is "someone call up Roger Cook and the United Nations".