The broadcaster John Stapleton, a fixture of British television since the 1980s, has died at the age of 79 after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2024.
Stapleton’s agent, Jackie Gill, said on Sunday: “John had Parkinson’s disease, which was complicated by pneumonia. His son Nick and daughter-in-law Lise have been constantly at his side and John died peacefully in hospital this morning.”
Nick Stapleton posted on Instagram that his father was not happy living with Parkinson’s. He added: “It turns out he got what he wanted – to leave us on his terms, without suffering. Living independently and still doing the things he loved until almost the very end. I’m sad for me and my wife … but I’m happy for him.”
Stapleton, a presenter for Newsnight, Watchdog and GMTV’s News Hour, revealed his diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease in October 2024.
Appearing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain after announcing his diagnosis, he said: “There’s no point in being miserable … It won’t ever change. Parkinson’s is here with me now for the rest of my life. Best I can do is try and control it and take the advice of all the experts.”
The presenter was born in Oldham and began his working life as a trainee reporter in the north-west, before moving into television as a presenter on the BBC’s Nationwide and then for Newsnight, where he reported on conflicts around the world.
Stapleton became a household name after moving into the world of light entertainment and consumer affairs. He presented the BBC’s Watchdog programme between 1985 and 1993 alongside his wife, Lynn Faulds Wood,who died in 2020.
Watchdog was renowned for exposing shoddy workmanship and illegal working practices, with the team confronting business owners.
Stapleton with Kirsty Wark and Jill Dando, fellow presenters of the BBC’s Breakfast Time programme, in 1988. Photograph: David Crump/Daily Mail/Shutterstock
In 2002, Stapleton found himself having a conversation with police officers after a segment on GMTV when a reporter was sent out to see how quickly they could acquire some cannabis in south London.
After Stapleton showed the drugs on GMTV, some viewers complained and the police interviewed him despite the fact he had made it clear the cannabis was to be destroyed immediately after the show.
Stapleton said: “I got a message down my earpiece from the producer that there had been a complaint and there was a Metropolitan police officer waiting to see me. I thought she was joking at first but a charming lady inspector was waiting on the studio floor and we had a little chat. She wanted to know how it came into my possession and that was it.”
Stapleton was also part of the presenting team, alongside Sir Trevor McDonald and Roger Cook, for Carlton Television’s controversial debate in 1997 about the monarchy, in which members of the public gave their views on the future of the royal family.
Sir Robin Day called the show, which was filmed at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre and included audible booing from the audience, who also heckled panellists, “the most contemptible programme I have ever watched”.
Steve Clark, Carlton’s head of factual programmes at the time, defended the boisterous debate, asking: “Is the standard of debate in the House of Commons at Question Time any better than that?”
It ended with a poll of 2.5 million callers, 66% of whom believed there should be a future for the monarchy.
After revealing his Parkinson’s diagnosis, Stapleton went on BBC One’s Morning Live to discuss his illness. “Speaking is how I’ve earned my living for the best part of 50 years,” he said. “It’s very frustrating sometimes, particularly [when] people are constantly saying to you: ‘Sorry, what did you say?’ And you have to repeat yourself, time and time again.
“I am fairly pragmatic about the prospect of this getting worse. I try to remain positive, because what’s the point of not being?”
He also partnered with Children in Need and sang a song from the musical & Juliet after revealing that he used singing to cope with his diagnosis.
Stapleton’s son, Nick, followed him into television, becoming the co-presenter of the Bafta-winning BBC daytime series Scam Interceptors.