John remains one of the country’s best known television newscasters, having presented all of ITN’s bulletins for nearly 20 years. Before becoming a newscaster John was a reporter for ITN, covering major events around the world. He has been honoured for both roles: Television Journalist of the Year 1986, and Television Newscaster of the Year 1996.
John retired from ITN in March 2004, but Channel Five television invited him back into the news studio in January 2006, where he once again presented national news bulletins.
John began his career with Reuters news agency. After a brief spell with BBC TV News he joined ITN in August 1972, intending to return to the BBC after a year. He stayed at ITN for almost 32 years.
John Suchet has a great passion for Beethoven
Away from the news, John’s great passion is the life and work of Beethoven. He began writing the story of the great composer’s life in 1990. It was published in three volumes entitled The Last Master, a trilogy which earned wide acclaim. The Daily Telegraph wrote: “This book is not for academics but for you and me and anyone moved by Beethoven’s music, and will probably do more to further understanding of the composer than any professorial paper.”
John now travels around the UK giving talks about Beethoven, The Last Master, accompanied by his own group of musicians. He has performed in more than 150 theatres, as well as Britain’s major concert halls. He has also given his talk at an international symposium in Beethoven’s home city, Vienna.
In 2000 John was appointed Honorary Doctor of Laws by his old university, the University of Dundee. In 2001 the Royal Academy of Music appointed him Honorary Fellow in recognition of his work on Beethoven, and in 2003 he was elected onto the Academy’s Governing Body. In 2007 he was invited onto the Academy's Council of Honour.
John’s interest in Beethoven has led him to take an active role in promoting the welfare of people who are deaf and hard of hearing. He is past President of the charity Hearing Concern and past Patron of STAGETEXT, which captions theatre for people with impaired hearing.
In September 2005 he launched a new talk, again accompanied by musicians, on Johann Strauss and Vienna, entitled The Last Waltz. On New Year’s Eve 2005 and 2006 John wrote and presented a special New Year’s Eve concert on Classic FM on the life and music of Johann Strauss and will do so again on New Year's Eve 2007. John also presents a talk, with slides, about his career in television news, entitled One More Shot, Bob.
John Suchet - Television & Radio Presenter
He continues to broadcast regularly. He returned to ITN to commentate on the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings in May 2004. He has presented ITV’s This Morning programme, and for Channel Five he has presented a programme during which the engine of a Hurricane which crashed on central London during the Battle of Britain was dug up, as well as a live two-part programme on the building of Stonehenge. He also presented a three-part series on Discovery Europe entitled World War II Experience.
John can also be heard on radio and broadcasts regularly on Classic FM. He makes frequent appearances on Radios 3 and 4 talking about Beethoven and music. He was series consultant to the highly acclaimed BBC2 television series entitled The Genius of Beethoven, which was aired in June 2005, and read from his Beethoven trilogy on BBC Radio 3’s week long Beethoven Experience. He has also presented a series for BBC Radio 4 on Vienna, City of Music, recorded entirely on location. In December 2005 he presented a three-part series for BBC Radio 4 entitled Mozart’s Legacy. |
