Broadcaster and journalist Steve Hewlett has died from cancer at the age of 58. He had documented the impact of the disease in a series of candid radio interviews and newspaper articles.
The presenter of Radio 4’s Media Show revealed last year that he had been diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in March, and had spoken frankly about its development with Eddie Mair on Radio 4 and in a diary published in the Observer.
Very sad news. The fact he shared his story of his treatment was so powerful. Certainly the last few Media Shows he presented he really didn't sound too great unfortunately. Great loss for the industry.
Reproduced in full - A Nick Robinson tribute on Facebook ....
Sad news.
My friend, my colleague and a great broadcaster Steve Hewlett has died.
I visited him in hospital a few days ago and wrote this knowing that I would almost certainly never see him again.
His family said it brought him and them some comfort so I'm sharing it in the hope it may help others - old friends and the many new ones who never met him but felt they knew him
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One last conversation
So much to say.
So little actually said.
But the pills, the piles of sympathetic letters, the constant flow of visitors said it all
We chat, we gossip, we exchange insights about our shared world.
I'm too British, too male, too stiff upper-lipped to really talk about the fact that it's a world you and I both know you'll soon be leaving
To talk about the fact that your "battle" is almost at an end
You "fought" they said.
You've been so "brave" they said
Yet you know, I know, anyone who has faced it knows differently
Cancer is not a battle.
There is no choice whether to fight let alone whether to win or lose.
No amount of courage no measure of cowardice can decide the outcome.
There is no virtue in survival. Certainly no lack of it in death.
I lived.
You now know that you will not.
Luck. Chance. Fate. Nothing more. Nothing less.
You didn't ...couldn't choose
You didn't ...couldn't decide.
Save, that is, for one thing.
You chose to confront your sickness, your pain, your fear in public
Your decision made thousands realise they were not alone
That really was brave. That a choice that let others know that their sickness, their pain and their fear was not, in fact, just theirs
That one last conversation which was so very worthwhile having.
As I leave you gripped my arm. An unspoken goodbye.
Only now do I know what I should have said.
No one who heard you talk about what you've faced will ever forget
Oh yes and one more thing.
Thank you
Really sad to hear this - a great loss to the media industry, and journalism as a whole. It was alwas fascinating to hear his take on the events surrounding the media.
So sad another brilliant voice lost to the scourge that is cancer, does anyone have the interview he did with Eddie Mair I think it would be great to hear his eloquent insight into his brave battle
So sad another brilliant voice lost to the scourge that is cancer, does anyone have the interview he did with Eddie Mair I think it would be great to hear his eloquent insight into his brave battle
