Alastair Stewart, 67, apologises for ‘misjudgement which I regret’ as he QUITS ITN presenting duties after 40 years over ‘errors of judgement in his use of social media’
- Stewart has apologised for a ‘misjudgment that I regret’ in a statement today
- His Twitter account appeared blank after he made ‘errors of judgment’
- Stewart was the longest male newsreader in the country, starting in 1976
Alastair Stewart is stepping down from his presenting duties at ITV News following ‘errors of judgment in Alastair’s use of social media’, ITN said.
Stewart was the longest serving male newsreader after joining Southern Television in 1976 then ITN in 1980.
But today his Twitter account appeared blank and he said in a statement: ‘It was a misjudgement which I regret, but it’s been a privilege to bring the news to households throughout the UK for the past 40 years.’
Stewart was the longest serving male newsreader after joining Southern Television in 1976 then ITN in 1980
His Twitter account appeared blank today as it was announced that Stewart was stepping down
Michael Jermey, director of news and current affairs at ITV, said: ‘Alastair has been a long-standing, familiar figure to viewers of ITV News, both reporting and presenting with distinction. We wish him the very best for the future.’
ITN’s chief executive Anna Mallett added: ‘We would like to recognise Alastair’s contribution as one of the UK’s foremost journalists and TV presenters and to thank him for his commitment to delivering high-quality broadcast news over many years.’
Alastair Stewart (pictured with his wife Sally Ann Jung) is stepping down from his role at ITN
The former newsreader hit headlines in May last year when he objected to retrospective plans to expand the number of products on sale at Long Barn – a family-run home and garden store in Alresford, Hampshire, despite living almost five miles away in upmarket Bramdean.
And in 2003, the father-of-four crashing his Mercedes into a hedge while three times the drink-driving limit.
He was fined £3,000 and agreed to go on a rehabilitation course for disqualified drivers.