Nigel Jay, a presenter on the BBC’s North West Tonight evening news programme for over 15 years, has died this week.
In recent years, Jay had been running his own corporate video and training company, Jaymedia, and was also an author and keen boater around Middlewich’s canal network.
He joined the BBC as a member of the news team at Radio Stoke before he moved to television news at the BBC in Manchester in March 1989 to help cover the news bulletins for the breakfast opt-outs. He added to his growing TV interest when he was enlisted by Stuart Hall to help with Hall’s ‘Clean Sweep’ series and after Hall left, he took ‘Clean Sweep’ as the lead presenter.
Later that year he began his long-term stint as a presenter on NWT.
He stepped down in 2005 to begin a new career on his own including producing and directing a documentary on Pakistan for BBC World.
He published his first novel – And No Wings – in 2009 and further books followed including The Answer To Everything.
A BBC spokesman said: ” We are saddened by the news that Nigel Jay has died.
“He became a much loved face on our screens. He was a lovely man, a professional at work, and also great fun to have around. He will be missed by many of us here at North West Tonight.”
