Former UTV political editor Ken Reid dies

Ken Reid retired from UTV in 2021 after almost three decades on screen

The former UTV political editor Ken Reid has died.

Mr Reid, 69, reported on key moments in the peace process during almost three decades on screen.

In 2017, he revealed he had been diagnosed with a form of leukaemia. He was also diabetic but continued to work until his retirement from UTV in 2021.

A well-known figure in Northern Ireland, he was honoured by Queen’s University earlier this year for his contribution to journalism.

He regularly interviewed Prime Minister Tony Blair before and after the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Among his political scoops was breaking the news in 2008 that the then DUP leader Ian Paisley was to step down as first minister and party leader.

'Colossus is his field'

First Minister Michelle O'Neill said that Mr Reid was "a true giant in local journalism, and an all-round gentleman".

The Sinn Féin deputy leader added that his "strength and courage in the face of illness served as an inspiration to many, as he became a powerful advocate for raising awareness of cancer".

"We mourn the loss of a dear friend, and a remarkable man," she said.

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Gavin Robinson described Mr Reid as a “colossus is his field”.

“Ken was a special journalist in Northern Ireland as someone who managed to get to the heart of all the major political stories and cover the difficult issues whilst remaining the respect, admiration and affection of representatives from all political opinions,” Robinson said.

Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Simon Harris said Mr Reid had "shared his insight with great clarity and expertise to a generation of viewers across Northern Ireland, Ireland and Britain".

A permanent fixture

Mr Reid's coverage of politics for UTV began in 1994, the year of the IRA and loyalist ceasefires.

After the 1998 agreement, he reported on the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to David Trimble and John Hume.

He then reported on the start of power sharing at Stormont.

As devolution rose and fell, he was a permanent fixture on the UTV evening news programme.

He reported every year from the St Patrick’s Day receptions at the White House in Washington, and was a frequent visitor to Brussels, especially before and after the Brexit vote in 2016.

His long career in journalism began in newspapers, at the News Letter in the late 1970s and then as sports editor of the now-defunct Sunday News in the mid-1980s. He later became the overall editor of the paper.

He was an avid supporter of Everton, his local football club Cliftonville and Ballymena rugby club.

Despite his early stint in sports journalism, he once said: "Sport is my hobby and keeps me sane. I didn't want it to be my job. I always wanted sport to just be sport."

In 1987, Mr Reid moved south of the border to the Cork Examiner, where he built up good contacts with Irish politicians.

This stood him in good stead when he moved to UTV to front its political coverage at a crucial stage in the peace process in the mid-1990s.

Mr Reid was born in 1955 and was brought up in north Belfast.

He went to school at Methodist College, and then studied at the University of Hull.

'A towering figure'

Reacting to the news of Mr Reid's passing, ITV's news director Michael Jermey described him as "a towering figure in broadcasting in Northern Ireland".

"He will be enormously missed by colleagues in UTV and right across the wider ITV," Mr Jeremy said.

He added: "Ken was a wonderful journalist. Well informed, intelligent and always utterly impartial in his approach to reporting.

"He had a ringside seat at some of the most significant moments of modern history - perhaps most notably the signing of the Good Friday Agreement."

UTV presenter Paul Clark said he was “deeply saddened” by the news of Mr Reid’s death.

“He was an outstanding journalist and always at the top of his craft,” Mr Clark said, “I learnt so much from him."

'Warm, life-enhancing man'

On behalf of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Speaker Edwin Poots sent condolences to Mr Reid's family.

He said he was "held in the highest regard by the parties across the Assembly, and importantly the viewers, as a trusted and informed voice".

In his previous career as a broadcaster, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Mike Nesbitt worked alongside Mr Reid for many years at UTV.

In an emotional tribute, the health minister said Mr Reid had faced his illness “with his usual good humour”.

He told the BBC’s Evening Extra that Mr Reid “never set out to be a broadcaster” but turned out to be “the most respected journalist I have ever met”.

Nesbitt further described Mr Reid as his "broadcasting brother”.

The SDLP leader Claire Hanna said Mr Reid was a "reassuring figure, who offered keen analysis with a comforting whit and easy charm, though he suffered no fools".

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister said that Mr Reid was “part of the political lives of so many for so long” and was “respected by all sides”.

Baroness Foster, the former first minister, said Mr Reid's death was “incredibly sad news”.

She told BBC News NI that he was “one of the last great interviewers of the Belfast Agreement time”.

“He was a great character… he was incredibly down to earth,” she said.

The former BBC NI Political Editor Mark Devenport said that Mr Reid was “a very astute journalist”.

Mr Devenport added that he was “occasionally a rival who did me professional damage, but on a personal level we were always very good friends”.

Surrounded by news

Even as he lay gravely ill in hospital in recent days, Ken Reid was listening to the news on the radio.

He once described himself as a “politics junkie” and even in retirement he kept a close eye on Stormont, Westminster and the Dáil.

When I last visited Ken in hospital, he had just tuned into a political debate on BBC Radio Five Live - he kept it on in the background as we chatted. Political discussions were, in a sense, the soundtrack to his career.

Standing at more than 6ft tall, many people referred to him as ‘Big Ken’ but he did not speak down to the audience, he spoke in their language and was respected for that.

He faced his illnesses with formidable courage. He was extremely thankful for the support and love he received from his wife, children and grandchildren.

Ken Reid will be remembered as a towering figure in broadcasting.

Right to the end, he was surrounded by news. Ken loved the airwaves and the airwaves loved Ken.