BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire delivered a heartfelt on-air tribute to Sir Alex Younger, the former head of MI6, who has died of cancer at the age of 62. The tribute came at the end of Wednesday's (June 3) edition of Newsnight.
Sir Alex, who led MI6 from 2014 to 2020, spent nearly three decades in British intelligence, joining the service in 1991. He was a regular contributor to Newsnight, offering his expertise on major news stories.
Drawing the programme to a close, Derbyshire said: 'Before we go, we wanted to pay tribute to a man we considered a friend of Newsnight: Sir Alex Younger... As an ex-Chief of Secret Intelligence Service, he regularly sat alongside me on this sofa, and in the middle of tumultuous world events, shared his incredible expertise and wisdom.'
She added: 'He and I talked about the illness he had - he told me that just as he was looking at other horizons, cancer had come along and put a spanner in the works. Sir Alex Younger has died far, far too young.'
Viewers expressed their sadness on social media, with one writing: 'He made great contributions, not always serious which was refreshing too.' Another said: 'Rest in peace, Sir Alex! Thank you for your service, and your wisdom!'
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer led national tributes, stating that Sir Alex 'led an exemplary life and career'. The Prince of Wales also paid tribute, saying Sir Alex 'embodied the very best of what the Secret Intelligence Service stands for'.
