Legendary ITV broadcaster Roger Cook has died at the age of 83, his family has announced.
A statement issued on Monday (15 June) read: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Roger Cook, who died peacefully on Saturday after a short illness.
“Alongside a distinguished and award-winning career in journalism, Roger was first and foremost a beloved husband and father. He will be deeply missed by all of us, and we ask for privacy as we navigate this difficult loss.”
The New Zealand-born TV star hosted current affairs programme The Cook Report for 12 years, and won a Bafta special award for the show in 1997.
Cook was known for never shying away from confrontational, doorstep interviews.
His eponymous show exposed child pornography, Northern Ireland protection rackets, baby trading in Brazil and the illicit ivory trade. He also examined illegal immigration and war criminals in Bosnia. He also fronted exposés on those behind 9/11 and other terrorist attacks, and the Russian black market in weapons-grade plutonium.
ITV said in a statement that Cook “worked tirelessly to expose criminal wrongdoing and injustice, helping to drive important and lasting changes in the law”.
“His fearless contribution to journalism will long be remembered, and we send our deepest sympathies and condolences to his wife, family and friends at this difficult time,” it added.
Fans have also paid tribute on social media, with one writing: “A great loss to the journalistic world he came from.” “A true legend of investigative journalism,” said another. “His doorstep confrontations were fearless. Rest in peace.”
Cook’s decades-spanning career began in the late 1960s when he moved to the UK and began working as a journalist for the BBC.
He created and began hosting the investigative Radio 4 programme Checkpoint, which specialised in exposing criminals and con-men, in 1973, before making the switch to television in 1984.
He then began fronting The Cook Report on ITV in 1987. The show ran for 16 series across 12 years, airing until 1999.
In 2007, he revisited a number of his most well-known stories in a 90-minute special, Roger Cook's Greatest Hits, where he said he had received death threats due to the series.
Cook’s doorstepping investigative style was parodied by comics including Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, as well as Sir Stephen Fry, who poked fun at him in Channel 4 comedy series This Is David Lander.
Cook married twice and had a daughter with his second wife, Frances.
More to follow...
