Tributes have been paid to the broadcaster John Stapleton, who has died at the age of 79 after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2024. His agent, Jackie Gill, confirmed on Sunday that he died peacefully in hospital, with his son Nick and daughter-in-law Lise at his side. Stapleton had Parkinson's, which was complicated by pneumonia.
Stapleton was a familiar face on British television, having presented programmes including Newsnight, Watchdog and GMTV's News Hour. He began his career as a trainee reporter in the north-west before joining the BBC's Nationwide and later Newsnight, where he reported on conflicts around the world. He became a household name after moving into light entertainment and consumer affairs, presenting Watchdog between 1985 and 1993 alongside his wife, Lynn Faulds Wood, who died in 2020.
Former GMTV co-presenter Kate Garraway described Stapleton as a 'rock solid broadcaster and the ultimate gentleman', while Good Morning Britain presenters Charlotte Hawkins and Susanna Reid also paid tribute. Reid called him a 'legend' and 'consummate pro', and Hawkins said he was a 'brilliant broadcaster' and a 'genuinely lovely man'.
Stapleton revealed his Parkinson's diagnosis in October 2024, saying on Good Morning Britain: 'There's no point in being miserable … It won't ever change. Parkinson's is here with me now for the rest of my life.' His son Nick posted on Instagram that his father 'got what he wanted – to leave us on his terms, without suffering'. Stapleton was a lifelong Manchester City fan, and Nick recalled that after watching City win the Champions League in Istanbul, his father said he would 'die happy'.
