Britain is a country where old tv foreign correspondents, like John Simpson, make programmes to convince other old men that "they don’t have to be old until they want"

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An article in 'The Daily Mail' today was entitled :

Why 65 is the new 55, by John Simpson: Broadcaster says age is no barrier to remaining active

He became a father again at 61 and still reports from danger zones around the world for the BBC. So it’s little wonder that John Simpson has hailed 65 as the new 55.

Apparently, the veteran 67 year old broadcaster is making a series for the BBC1 called, 'When I Get Older', in which he and other presenters examine what life is like for old people in Britain. It sounds like John  is going to present evidence to suggest that, unlike me, he believes that Britain is indeed, a country for old men because, according to him :

*  "There is a bit of crusading to do here – persuading the elderly that they don’t have to be old until they want to be and the young not to write off the elderly just yet. Being 65 now is what being 55 seemed like back in 1967."

* " If your health holds up, you ought to be able to keep active and involved until your 80s. Back in 1967 we thought that people of 65 had one foot in the grave and the other on a banana skin. Nowadays, if someone dies in their 60s it’s regarded as unusual."

In the programmes he and actress Lesley Joseph, presenter Gloria Hunniford and comedian Tony Robinson all spend time with old men and women and encourage them to become more active. However, the first episode, to be broadcast on the 4th of July, doesn't sound much fun because :

* John : 'has to face the reality of loneliness after he spends time with an isolated pensioner'.

* Lesley, 69 : 'finds out more about the pain of caring for a loved one after she spends time with a couple who are dealing with ill-health.'

* Gloria, 71  : 'spends time with a grandmother who has very little money to live on.'

* Tony,65  :  ' has to deal with the anguish of a pensioner's recent bereavement.'

Of the letters published in response to the article,  'Romy' from Sussex said of John  :

' I'm sorry he should retire. He looks so old and warn out when he's reporting. NB much younger women are "retired" on TV !' and 'jaydee' from London put it simply with : 'old deluded fart'

P.S. My posting about John last year :

Tuesday, 9 August 2011

Britain is still a country 'for' and says "Happy Birthday" 'to' a fearless old reporter called John Simpson

http://britainisnocountryforoldmen.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/britain-is-still-country-for-and-says.html

Britain is still a country 'for' and says "Happy Birthday" 'to' a fearless old reporter called John Simpson

John Cody Fidler-Simpson, British foreign correspondent and 'World Affairs Editor' for the BBC who, during the 2011 Libyan uprising, traveled with the rebels during their westward offensive, reported the war from the front lines and came under fire on several occasions, is 67 today.

He has has spent all his working life at the BBC, reported from more than 120 countries, including 30 war zones and interviewed many world leaders. John is the equivalent to foreign affairs as David Attneborough is to the natural world. He has the 'gravitas' which comes form sharp intelligence and long experience.

Things you probably didn't know about John, that he :

* was born in London, had a father who was an 'anarchist', was educated in private schools before going to Cambridge University, where he read 'English'.

* in 1966, started as a trainee sub-editor at BBC Radio News and became a reporter in 1970 and on his first day, the Prime Minister Harold Wilson, angered by the sudden and 'impudent', as he saw it, appearance of John's novice's microphone, punched him in the stomach.

* was by turns, in the 1980's, the BBC's 'Political Editor', a 'News presenter', 'Diplomatic Editor' and finally 'World Affairs Editor' in 1998.

* travelled back from Paris to Tehran with the exiled Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 in a return which heralded the 'Iranian Revolution'.

* in 1989, avoided bullets at the 'Beijing Tiananmen Square' massacre and reported the fall of Ceauşescu regime in Bucharest later that year.

* spent the early part of the 1991 Gulf War in Baghdad before being expelled by the authorities.

* reported from Belgrade during the Kosovo War of 1999 and was one of a handful of journalists to remain in the Serbian capital after the authorities expelled those from NATO countries.

* was one of the first reporters to enter Afghanistan in 2001, disguised in a burqua and was in Kabul during he US-led invasion.

* was hunted by Robert Mugabe's forces in Zimbabwe.

* was the first BBC journalist to answer questions in a war zone from internet users via BBC News Online.

* while reporting from Northern Iraq in the 2003 War, left deaf in one ear in a friendly fire incident and killed a member of his crew.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_HmwktvRGc

* has two daughters, by his first marriage to Diane Petteys, of El Cajon, California and a 5 year old son by his second marriage to Dee Kruger, a South African television producer.

* had a grandmother who was born in Ireland and holds British and Irish citizenship and moved back to London in 2005 after living in Ireland for several years.

* sent this report from Libya :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12590274

Some of John's books :


P.S.
The comedian Dom Joly who said of John :
"When you spot him in airport arrivals, you know your country is in deep doo-doo."