Clive Myrie has shared the reasons he feels at peace with the decision he and his wife made not to have children, revealing that the state of the world has made him feel a sense of relief.
Career and Personal Life
The veteran BBC journalist, 61, has spent decades reporting from conflict zones including Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo. His career has shaped his personal outlook, and he admits some experiences stay with him long after returning home.
Clive met his wife Catherine, a former publishing executive now a furniture restorer, at a book launch in London in the early 1990s. Speaking to The Times, he joked about their first meeting: “The way I tell it, Catherine saw me and just fell in love, it was obvious as soon as she saw me. But it wasn’t like that at all. It took me a bit of time to win her over.”
Reason for No Regrets
The couple married in 1998, and have previously spoken about choosing not to have children, with their careers playing a part. But Clive has revealed another reason for not regretting the decision.
“I have a multitude of nephews and nieces and children of friends around me, and I don’t like how this world is turning out for them,” he said. “Few job opportunities, a lack of international co-operation, social media which makes the world feel meaner and nastier. I see all this, and there’s a big, big part of me that thinks, thank God I didn’t have kids.”
Coping with Memories
Clive’s concerns come after years witnessing conflict and suffering. During one assignment in Iraq, the risks were so severe he wrote a goodbye letter to his family in case he was killed.
Speaking to The i Paper, he admitted some experiences remain difficult to forget: “I've got better at compartmentalising as I've got older. Some things live with you, obviously. There is no question that some of the images I saw reporting from Ukraine, or some of the more disturbing stories I've had to read on the news, stay with you. But, on the whole, I can shut that out and switch off.”
Away from journalism, Clive now makes a conscious effort to focus on what brings him happiness. “I want my life to be about the good, interesting stuff. I don't particularly want to be thinking about Donald Trump or Keir Starmer on my deathbed. I want to be thinking about art or music or something uplifting,” he said. “I try to live a rounded life; I make time to go to galleries and concerts. I have lunches with friends. I make sure that's part of who I am, and part of my routine, because that is what helps keep me going.”
