The previous UTV political editor Ken Reid has died.
Mr Reid, 69, reported on key moments within the peace procedure all the way through nearly 3 a long time on display.
In 2017, he published he were recognized with a type of leukaemia. He was once additionally diabetic however persisted to paintings till his retirement from UTV in 2021.
A well known determine in Northern Eire, he was once honoured via Queen’s College previous this yr for his contribution to journalism.
He continuously interviewed Top Minister Tony Blair ahead of and after the 1998 Just right Friday Settlement.
Amongst his political scoops was once breaking the scoop in 2008 that the then DUP chief Ian Paisley was once to step down as first minister and birthday party chief.
His protection of politics for UTV started in 1994, the yr of the IRA and loyalist ceasefires.
After the 1998 settlement, he reported at the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to David Trimble and John Hume.
He then reported at the get started of power-sharing at Stormont.
As devolution rose and fell, he was once an everlasting fixture at the UTV night time information programme.
He reported once a year from the St Patrick’s Day receptions on the White Space in Washington, and was once a common customer to Brussels, particularly ahead of and after the Brexit vote in 2016.
His lengthy occupation in journalism started in newspapers, on the Information Letter within the overdue Nineteen Seventies after which as sports activities editor of the now-defunct Sunday Information within the mid-Nineteen Eighties. He later was the total editor of the paper.
He was once an avid supporter of Everton, his native soccer membership Cliftonville and Ballymena rugby membership.
Regardless of his early stint in sports activities journalism, he as soon as mentioned: “Game is my passion and helps to keep me sane. I did not need it to be my process. I all the time sought after recreation to only be recreation.”
In 1987, Mr Reid moved south of the border to the Cork Examiner, the place he constructed up excellent contacts with Irish politicians.
This stood him in excellent stead when he moved to UTV to entrance its political protection at a the most important level within the peace procedure within the mid-Nineteen Nineties.
Mr Reid was once born in 1955 and was once introduced up in north Belfast.
He went to college at Methodist Faculty, after which studied on the College of Hull.
At the same time as he lay gravely in poor health in sanatorium in fresh days, Ken Reid was once being attentive to the scoop at the radio.
He as soon as described himself as a “politics junkie” or even in retirement he stored a detailed eye on Stormont, Westminster and the Dáil.
After I closing visited Ken in sanatorium, he had simply tuned right into a political debate on BBC Radio 5 Reside – he stored it on within the background as we chatted. Political discussions had been, in a way, the soundtrack to his occupation.
Status at greater than 6ft tall, many of us referred to him as ‘Large Ken’ however he didn’t discuss down the target audience, he spoke of their language and was once revered for that.
He confronted his diseases with bold braveness. He was once extraordinarily grateful for the make stronger and love he gained from his spouse, youngsters and grandchildren.
Ken Reid might be remembered as a towering determine in broadcasting.
Proper to the tip, he was once surrounded via information. Ken liked the airwaves and the airwaves liked Ken.
