Sandy Gall, the veteran ITN news presenter and former News at Ten co-presenter, has died at the age of 97, his family have confirmed as they paid tribute to the legendary broadcaster

Renowned broadcaster and journalist Sandy Gall has passed away at the age of 97, his family confirmed. In a statement honouring the esteemed presenter, his family said: “His was a great life, generously and courageously lived.”

They revealed to ITV that Sandy passed away on Sunday at his home in Kent. Former coworker Alastair Stewart shared his respects on social media, writing: “RIP the great Sandy GALL CMG, CBE – a giant from the good days of ITN- reporter and presenter.”

He further noted: “What a loss in Sandy Gall’s death a brilliant reporter and presenter and a thoroughly nice man.”, reports the Express.

Sandy died aged 97 (
Image:
Getty)
Fans shared their condolences on the post; one wrote: “Very sad news to hear about Sandy. He will be sorely missed by those who remember him fondly as a friend, father and colleague. My condolences go to his family.”

Another lamented the loss, stating: “One of the best from a time when the industry was admired, but most of all, believed and trusted. Sad news.” A third reminisced: “He was part of my childhood. RIP Sandy.”

Having become one of Britain’s most recognised broadcasters, Gall made his name initially as a foreign correspondent for ITN and later as the co-presenter of News at Ten.

With a career that spanned over half a century, he started out at Aberdeen Press and Journal. Subsequently, he served a ten-year stint as a foreign correspondent with Reuters news agency, then joined ITN in 1963, quickly rising to become a familiar figure across the nation.

Gall remained with the network until he hung up his hat in 1992. His extensive career as a reporter and broadcaster saw him traverse the globe to report on some of the most monumental historical events of the 20th century.

One of his initial assignments with ITN took place in Dallas, Texas, mere hours after President Kennedy was assassinated.

Throughout his career, he reported on significant global events such as the Vietnam War, the Soviet-Afghan War and America’s civil rights movement, even securing an interview with Martin Luther King in 1965.

He was also among the handful of journalists who stayed behind in Vietnam to cover the fall of Saigon in 1975, following the North Vietnamese victory.

Gall went on to present ITV’s News at Ten in 1970, which was the UK’s most watched news programme at the time. He made his final appearance on the programme in 1991.

However, he returned to the company as a special reporter until his final retirement a year later. Gall went on to become a founder and chairman of Sandy Gall’s Afghanistan Appeal, a charity or disabled Afghans that ran for nearly 40 years.

The charity treated Afghans with war-related injuries, as well as children in refugee camps. As the time passed, the focus widened to people help many other people.

Gall was awarded a CBE in 1987 and a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 2011.