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Colin Brazier

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For the English footballer, see Colin Brazier (footballer).

Colin Brazier
Sky News journalist Colin Brazier speaking to a camera in front of Buckingham Palace, London, UK
Brazier in 2013
Born (1968-03-28) 28 March 1968 (age 56)
Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England[citation needed]
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Television presenter, news presenter
Notable credit(s)Sky News
GB News
Spouse
Joanna Roughton
​
​
(m. 1999; died 2018)​
Olivia Warham
​
(m. 2024)​
Children6

Colin Brazier (born 28 March 1968) is an English retired journalist, [1] having previously worked for GB News between 2021 and 2022, and Sky News between 1997 and 2021. He presented Sky News Today on the channel alongside Jayne Secker from September 2014, alongside other programmes on the channel. Between 2005 and 2011, Brazier presented Saturday Live on the channel. In September 2022, in a shakeup of the GB News schedule, it was announced that his show, Brazier, was to be replaced and Brazier himself was to leave the channel.[2]

Early life

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Born in Bradford, Brazier was brought up by his mother, a nurse.[3] In 1985, he was present at the Bradford City stadium fire.[4]

Brazier was born Colin Eshelby,[citation needed] but later changed his surname after becoming estranged from his father. He studied English literature at Cardiff University, where he was also elected to serve for a year as Communications Officer at Cardiff University Students' Union. He then trained as a journalist at The Northern Echo and the Yorkshire Post, and briefly worked at The Observer.[citation needed]

Broadcasting career

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Brazier joined Sky News in 1997, where he covered politics, the Royal Family and had several foreign postings, in addition to anchoring studio coverage. He was the first British journalist to enter Iraq with coalition troops during the 2003 invasion, Brazier's documentary, Brothers in Baghdad, was later shortlisted at the 48th Monte-Carlo Television Festival.[5]

In December 2004, Brazier was alleged to have assaulted his producer, Julian Morrison, after an argument following a staff Christmas party in Brussels.[6] Morrison went to hospital, having suffered a broken nose and damaged teeth, and was off work for several days. Brazier was recalled to London following the incident.[6]

Brazier was the first journalist to enter southern Lebanon with Israeli forces in 2006.[7] In 2009 he conducted one of the final interviews given by the dictator Muammar Gaddafi.[8][9] Brazier wrote an article for the New Statesman discussing his experiences of meeting the dictator at his compound in Libya.[10]

In 2014 he was Sky's sole nominee in the Royal Television Society Awards Presenter of the Year category for his work in Nairobi during the Westgate shopping mall attack[11] and Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.[citation needed]

In July 2014, following the destruction of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine, Brazier was filmed tampering with the contents of a victim's luggage. Widespread media criticism and calls for Brazier's resignation ensued. Over 100 complaints about Brazier's conduct were submitted to Ofcom.[12] In an article published in The Guardian on 22 July 2014, Brazier apologised and said that his actions were "a serious error of judgment".[13]

In 2015 he reported on events including the Tunisian terror attacks[14][15] and the Nepal earthquake.[16][17]

In 2016 he won an International Emmy Award[18] and was nominated for a BAFTA[19][20] for his coverage of the European migrant crisis.[21]

In February 2021, it was announced that Brazier was leaving Sky News for GB News.[22] On the channel he and Mercy Muroki co-hosted Brazier & Muroki, a daytime "news, interview and debate" programme.[23][24] In August 2021 it was replaced by a different programme, leaving Brazier's sole presenting role as filling in for Andrew Neil in the 8 pm slot.[25] Following Neil's resignation as a GB News presenter in September 2021, Brazier was given a permanent programme at 8 pm called Brazier.[26] In January 2022, Brazier's 8pm weeknight show was moved to 4-6pm, and the 8pm Monday-Friday slot was filled by a new show, Steyn, hosted by Mark Steyn. His weekly TV show Brazier was also aired via radio on GB News Radio. In September 2022, he was sacked by GB News, during a re-shuffle.[27]

Brazier joined LBC in April 2023 to host late nights Monday to Thursday 10pm-1am, having worked as a cover presenter some weeks prior. Brazier's last show on LBC was on 31 August 2023, when he decided to retire from journalism to study farming, "a 'dream' he has long held", at the Royal Agricultural University.[28]

Personal life

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In 1999, Brazier married Joanna Roughton, at the time Reuters Asia editor and then Sky's head of foreign news until 2002, with whom he had six children.[29] In 2017, Brazier and his family were featured on Sky News talking about Sky's Ocean Rescue campaign.[30] Roughton died from breast cancer in July 2018, aged 55.[31][32]

Brazier is a practising Catholic,[33] and has written articles for the Catholic Herald.[34] He has stated that he is "ill at ease" with modern funeral traditions.[35]

A keen cricketer, Brazier is a member of the Lord's Taverners, a charity which aims to improve the fortunes of underprivileged young cricketers, and has played in fundraising matches for the organisation.[36] He was once seen on-camera during a Sky News broadcast appearing to practise a cover drive.[37]

Brazier's 2013 book Sticking Up For Siblings was based on his experiences as a father of six young children.[38][39][40]

He married Olivia Warham at Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church in Kensington, London, on 20 June 2024.[41]

References

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  1. ^ "Former Sky News & GB News presenter Colin Brazier joins LBC". On The Radio. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  2. ^ Kelly, Helen (1 September 2022). "Colin Brazier confirms GB News exit in major shakeup". Daily Express. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  3. ^ Brazier, Colin (16 November 2020). "Crime fighting in the age of emoting". Catholic Herald.
  4. ^ "Sky Man's Memories Of 'Hideous' Bradford Fire". Sky News.
  5. ^ "48th Monte Carlo Television Festival Press Kit" (PDF). Monte Carlo Television Festival. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 June 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Senior Sky reporter demoted after fight at Christmas party". The Independent. 18 December 2004. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  7. ^ Plunkett, John (4 August 2006). "Keeping your balance". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  8. ^ "Gaddafi: deal done over IRA victims". Belfast Telegraph. 26 October 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  9. ^ "Gaddafi Issues Shooting 'Apology'". 4ni.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  10. ^ Brazier, Colin (5 November 2009). "The Leader will see you in the library . . ". NewStatesman. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  11. ^ "Nairobi Mall Shooting: 'A Gigantic Crime Scene'". YouTube. Sky News. 25 September 2013. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  12. ^ "Complaints over Sky News MH17 report". BBC News. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  13. ^ "Sky News reporter Colin Brazier apologises for snooping in victims' luggage". The Independent. 22 July 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  14. ^ "With thousands of people heading home early and many more cancelling..." Getty Images.
  15. ^ "With thousands of people heading home early and many more cancelling..." Getty Images. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  16. ^ "Nepal Survivors Risk Death To Retrieve Possessions". Sky News. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  17. ^ "Destruction of Sankhu Town". MSN. Archived from the original on 15 August 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  18. ^ "SKY NEWS AND ITN DISPATCHES WIN INTERNATIONAL EMMYS® FOR NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS". International Emmy® Awards. International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  19. ^ "2016 Television News Coverage". BAFTA TV Awards. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  20. ^ "Bafta TV Awards 2016: the full list of winners". The Telegraph. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  21. ^ "Sky News wins prestigious Emmy award for its refugee crisis coverage". Sky News. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  22. ^ "What is GB News? In-depth briefing about Andrew Neil's new channel". Press Gazette. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  23. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (26 May 2021). "Discovery-Backed GB News Channel to Launch in June". Variety. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  24. ^ Press Gazette [@pressgazette] (10 February 2021). "Sky News journalist Colin Brazier is joining GB News to anchor a daytime news, interview and debate programme" (Tweet). Retrieved 16 August 2021 – via Twitter.
  25. ^ Wilkes, Neil (5 August 2021). "Patrick Christys to take over from Colin Brazier on GB News". Media Mole. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  26. ^ "Andrew Neil resigns from GB News three months after channel's launch". BBC News. 13 September 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  27. ^ Sherwin, Adam (1 September 2022). "GB News presenters Colin Brazier and Alex Phillips axed in 'bloodbath' schedule shake-up". inews.co.uk.
  28. ^ "Colin Brazier leaves journalism after 40 years to study farming". Press Gazette. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  29. ^ "On this day 18 years ago, thanks again Mrs B.pic.twitter.com/tzckCE9b7D". Twitter. @colinbraziersky. 11 December 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  30. ^ "Meet the Braziers: Sky News presenter invites 'Ocean Rescue' to breakfast". YouTube. TV Newsroom. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  31. ^ "Obituary: Joanna Roughton". THE BARON. 11 July 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  32. ^ "Sky News host Colin Brazier's wife dies aged 55". Metro. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  33. ^ Quinn, Ben (23 July 2018). "Sky News man asks mourners at wife's funeral to wear black". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  34. ^ "A shattering prognosis". Catholic Herald. 1 March 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  35. ^ Brazier, Colin (21 July 2018). "Let funerals be sad". The Spectator. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  36. ^ "The Lord's Taverners v The Yankee Wanderers | Lord's Taverners". www.lordstaverners.org. 16 July 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  37. ^ "Hilarious moment news presenter is caught practising cricket shot". Evening Standard. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  38. ^ "Is it better for children to have siblings?". BBC News. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  39. ^ "Cost of children 'puts off parents'". MSN Money. MSN. p. 23 August 2013. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014.
  40. ^ Moorhead, Joanna (10 August 2013). "Children? The more the merrier …". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  41. ^ Brazier, Colin (20 June 2024). "Today was a good day". Twitter. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
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