English journalist and broadcaster Harry Gration
October 22, 1950 ~ June 24, 2022
- Harry Gration was an English journalist and broadcaster, who died on June 24, 2022, in England.
- He was born on October 22, 1950, in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England.
- He was an anchor for the BBC Yorkshire regional magazine programme Look North.
- He is known for Ski Sunday (1978), Match of the Day (1964) and BBC Look North: Yorkshire (1968).
He strongly believed the viewer must feel at home with the person they invite into their home every night when they turn on their television. “But the poor souls get me looking back at them!”
Harry Gration’s Death
- Amy Garcia, a former co-host on BBC Look North, made the announcement that Harry Gration had passed away on Friday. We are at a complete loss for words to express how devastated we are by this information. During this challenging time, we want Harry’s wife, Helen, their children, and all of Harry’s family and friends to know that our thoughts and prayers are with them.
- BBC broadcast the dreadful news to the world said, “Our dear friend and fellow worker Harry Gration passed away unexpectedly today.”
J.N News: BBC director-general -Harry Gration emotional words
- The BBC said he died suddenly on Friday. Its director-general, Tim Davie, said Gration was “loved everywhere, but especially in Yorkshire”.
- He added: “ MBE was an outstanding broadcaster and commentator. He had a real connection with the public who saw him as one of their own. He will be hugely missed by his many fans and friends.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhFE54R1BXE
Twitter :
Our much loved friend and colleague Harry Gration died suddenly today. We are absolutely heartbroken to give you this news.
— BBC Yorkshire (@BBCLookNorth) June 24, 2022
Tonight our hearts go out to Harry's wife Helen, their children and all of Harry's family and friends. https://t.co/dsFnvzjSsY pic.twitter.com/sbgF6NMoqR
RJ: BBC News Channel – Harry Gration leaving day interview
An interview with an emotional Harry Gration and Simon McCoy on Harry’s last day at the BBC. Wednesday 21st October 2020. © BBC 2020
Barnsley Museums Film Archive: Harry Gration interviews Dickie Bird (2017)
- Filmed as part of the Dickie Bird exhibition at Experience Barnsley in 2017 funded by the heritage lottery. Harry Gration meets Dickie Bird at Headingley to talk about his life and career
Harry Gration thanks the Harrogate Convention Centre
- Journalist, Harry Gration, thanks to the Harrogate Convention Centre, NHS, the army and key workers for building the NHS Nightingale Yorkshire and Humber.
TV Live : BBC Look North: Farewell Harry Gration – 21st October 2020
- BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Match of the Day and Grandstand grabbed him and then followed four years with South Today where this northern boy was taken right into the hearts of those southerners!
- Harry has never followed a normal career pattern. He was a history teacher in Yorkshire and he used school holidays to do match reports for BBC Radio Leeds and BBC Radio Humberside.
- His natural talent was soon spotted and he took a gamble, giving up the teaching for a three-month contract as sports editor of Radio Leeds.
- There was no stopping him of course – he became a regular reporter and commentator for the BBC’s Olympic and Commonwealth Games coverage, travelling the world for his profession – most recently at the 2000 Olympics.
- Harry has presented Grandstand and Sportsnight and has won two Royal Television Society Awards for his sports documentaries: White Rose in Africa (1992) and Dickie Bird – A Rare Species (1997).
- Harry Gration: You’d find me in Scarborough – walking the sands along the North Bay, to be precise. I love seaside towns – their smells, their look. The North Sea is hardly glamorous but it always has something to offer. It never looks the same. Every season it’s different.
- Harry Gration: and at the North Bay you can forget the noise of the tourist amusements to enjoy it like the Victorians must have done. But then if I really want to forget the noise, Robin Hood’s Bay is the place to go, with fish and chips at Whitby forming my tea-time stop-off.
Harry Gration’s family background
- At the Beginning After being born in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, Gration moved with his family to the city, where they lived in a house that had been converted into two apartments.
- Due to his father’s promotion to manager at a local Boots store, the family relocated twice: first to Leeds, and then to York. His father had worked there for many years.
- His education was completed at St. Peter’s School in York. Before becoming the head of the history department at The Rodillian Academy in Lofthouse, which is located near Leeds, he spent the previous five years working there as a history teacher.
- Gration was married to Helen, his third wife, with whom he had three children. He had three children from two previous marriages.
Harry Gration Career
- Gration was working as a History teacher, and he began providing commentary for rugby league matches, eventually leading to a contract with the BBC lasting three months. After this contract, he decided to leave his teaching job to pursue a full-time broadcasting career with BBC Radio in the year 1978.
- Gration was recognised for his contributions to the broadcasting industry and was awarded the title of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Birthday Honours of 2013.
- His first broadcast of Look North was in the year 1982. Even though he shared the hosting duties of BBC South Today with Sally Taylor for a short period between 1995 and 1999.
- He had been a presenter for the BBC for 40 years as of the end of 2018. Amy Garcia, Christa Ackroyd, Judith Stamper, and Clare Frisby co-anchored a presentation. He also worked with Christa Ackroyd.
- On October 13, 2020, Gration announced that he would be retiring from BBC. On October 21, 2020, the day he turned 70 years old, He made his final appearance as the show’s lead presenter.
- It was in 1982 when he started working for Look North, and his career there spanned nearly four decades. In 2020, he presented the programme for the last time.
- Christa Ackroyd and Judith Stamper were two of the individuals that presented beside him during this time.
- He won multiple honours from the Royal Television Society (RTS), including Best Presenter, on two separate occasions, and was involved in organising several charitable events that resulted in the collection of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
A Tribute to Harry Gration
John Laban stated
- RIP Harry Gration, a follower of York City FC who was also a young fan of Bootham Park Avenue Football Club, was seen here with Avenue fans at Bootham Crescent watching Beesley jake score in a 4-1 Avenue triumph.
Glenn Cooney said,
- It has left me with a deep loss to learn of Harry Gration’s unexpected passing. In addition to BBC Look North, he hosted BBC South Today for four years in the late 90s. Unquestionably one of the most engaging and informative presenters on BBC regional news. My deepest sympathies go out to Harry’s family and friends on their recent loss. RIP Harry
BBC News Channel – Harry Gration: Simon McCoy pays tribute
- Simon McCoy returns to the BBC News Channel to pay tribute to Harry Gration who died suddenly yesterday aged 71. Saturday 25th June 2022. © BBC 2022
Harry Gration photographs
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