Michael Nicholson: Difference between revisions

Michael Nicholson OBE (born 9 January, 1937) is an English journalist and former ITN Senior Foreign Correspondent.

Biography

Born in Romford, Essex, Nicholson attended the University of Leicester.

Nicholson was a war reporter for ITN, who reported from wars in Nigeria, Ulster, Vietnam, Cambodia, Jordan, India and Pakistan, Rhodesia, Cyprus, Beirut, Angola; and the Falklands^[1] where he was awarded the Falklands Medal.

Between its introduction in 1976 and its change of name (and time) to the News At 5:40 in 1988, Nicholson became well-known as a television presenter when he became the regular host of ITN's popular News At 5:45 bulletins. Nicholson's friendly face, pleasant smile, and light, cheerful presentation style earned him a reputation as one of the leading figures of British journalistic television at a time when the BBC's news presenters were often accused of being aloof and characterless—despite his reputation as a very serious and gritty news gatherer and as an interviewer who could be sharp with his views, particularly towards politicians and leading figures in the news.

Nicholson returned to war reporting, initially in the first Gulf War, and was named Journalist of the Year in 1991. He then reported from Bosnia and Croatia, where in 1992 he was also named as the Royal Television Society's Journalist of the Year, for his report.

Nicholson joined Trevor McDonald's new investigative program, Tonight with Trevor McDonald in 1999.^[2]

Natasha

While stationed outside Sarajevo in the path of the approaching Serb forces, Nicholson found 200 orphan's living in a mortared and shelled building - four had already been killed. Nicholson pleaded with the authorities to evacuate the children, which they did on buses except one - Natasha, a nine year old who had been abandoned by her mother. As her name had been left off of the list of evacuee's, Nicholson placed under his name and claimed her as his daughter. He then evacuated from the country with the child, handing himself into the immigration authorities at Heathrow. Despite protests from the Bosnian authorities and journalistic critics, Nicholson succeeded in adopting the child.^[3]

In 1993 Nicholson had his book Natasha's Story, published. It tells the story of the nine-year girl, born Jelena Natasha Mihalijcic in Novi Grad, Sarajevo, on 7 October, 1982 born out of wedlock and abandoned by her mother at nine moths old. The book tells how she was resettled in Britain at his family home in Grayswood, Haslemere, Surrey. Natasha eventually attended local state primary and secondary schools near her home, and has since gained an HND in sports science from Bath University. She hopes to train as a tennis coach and is keen to work with children in sport.^[4]

Personal life

Nicholson lives with his wife, two sons and adopted daughter Natasha in Grayswood, Haslemere, Surrey.

References

External links

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