CHANNEL 4 journalist Jon Snow will have an honorary citizenship in an independent Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon said as the veteran broadcaster signed off his last ever show.
The First Minister was one of a raft of famous faces to pay tribute to Snow on his final news broadcast. Chef Jamie Oliver, former prime minister Gordon Brown, and Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg also paid their respects.
Sturgeon said Snow would leave a “big massive hole” at Channel 4.
She went on: “You are a legend. One of the best journalists of modern times in the UK.
“So I hope that leaving the presenting role might give you some more time to spend time here in Scotland, and hopefully it won't be too long until we are conferring upon you honorary citizenship of an independent Scotland. All the best and I hope to see you soon.”
Snow, 74, said it had been the “greatest privilege of my life” to present Channel 4 News as he signed off from his final programme.
He said the job had been “wonderful and rewarding” and paid tribute to his production teams and colleagues.
Snow is the longest-serving presenter in the programme’s history and is stepping back from the show after 32 years at the helm.
Concluding his final programme, which aired at 7pm on Thursday, Snow said: “Well, it’s been wonderful and so rewarding after so long at the coalface of news.
“But in the end…I am nothing in this studio without the significant and skilled technical and journalistic teams that night after night, ensure that Channel 4 News comes.
“The joy of working here is those teams and their skills, technicians and journalists and thanks to the farsighted governments, regulators that have given us our independent news in primetime.
“Thank you to all the people who have trusted me with their stories all over the world in often appalling circumstances.
“But most of all, I’m so grateful to you at home. It’s not always an easy watch. It’s been the greatest privilege of my life to bring you the news.
“Thank you, stay safe. That’s Channel Four News. Good evening.”
"It's been the greatest privilege of my life to bring you the news."@jonsnowC4 signs off from Channel 4 News for the very last time after presenting the programme for 32 years. pic.twitter.com/E0QObuCXry
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) December 23, 2021
During the programme montage of Snow’s memorable career moments were played.
Scenes from Colombia, Scotland, Japan, Greenland and the US were featured as well as moments from interviews including with Margaret Thatcher, Liam Gallagher, Marcus Rashford and Hillary Clinton.
During the montage he was heard saying: “I think of my job as an informant.”
“I am absolutely fascinated by people.
“I really do love interrogating people, about the lives they live, about the problems they suffer, about their hopes, their dreams.
“And I mean, that’s the motivation of any journalist, to find out more about what makes the world a better or worse place.
“One does have to be wary of one’s emotions and being over emotional reporting, I don’t regret it. More than anything remain yourself.”
Tributes to Snow and his long career poured in from colleagues, fellow broadcasters and politicians both ahead of and after the show.
Former Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan made reference to Snow’s fondness of colourful ties.
He tweeted: “Farewell Snowy @jonsnowC4 after 32 years at Channel 4 News.
“You’ve been a consistently brilliant news broadcaster, and aside from the ludicrous ties, and dodgy helmets, a lot of fun too.
“Congrats on a great run – I’ll miss you!”
Snow previously said he ignored instructions not to wear bright colours when he first started at Channel 4 and wanted to make “a bit of a splash” while on air and not appear “aggressively boring”.
Former UK prime minister Gordon Brown said: “Jon Snow is a British institution and will always be so.
“Jon, your charitable work is less well known but a tribute to your idealism.
“You deserve all our thanks for showing us that even amidst evil and injustice in this world a better world is possible.”
It was previously announced that Snow would continue to work with Channel 4 on long-form projects and spend more time focusing on his charitable work.
Snow’s career in journalism began at LBC in 1973 before he moved to ITN in 1976, where he served as Washington correspondent and diplomatic editor.
He then became the main presenter of Channel 4 News in 1989.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel