John Stapleton dies at 79; GMB stars pay emotional tribute

John Stapleton, a veteran journalist who helped shape Good Morning Britain, died yesterday morning at the age of 79 after complications linked to Parkinson's disease and pneumonia, his agent said. He died peacefully in hospital, the agent added.

On Monday, Good Morning Britain opened with tributes as Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley acknowledged his death. Reid said: "We go on air this morning on Good Morning Britain holding in our hearts the family of John Stapleton. He was a part of this programme's history and a part of breakfast television history." Madeley added: "He was a major figure at the BBC and a major figure at ITV. He was huge."

Stapleton's career spanned more than four decades. He began at the BBC, working on Panorama, before co-presenting Watchdog with his wife, Lynn Faulds Wood. The couple became one of television's most trusted duos until Lynn's death in 2020. In the 1980s he was among the faces of TV-am's Good Morning Britain, presenting between 1983 and 1986. He later became a staple of ITV breakfast television, moving through GMTV and Daybreak before joining Good Morning Britain when it replaced Daybreak in 2014. He remained on the sofa until 2015.

The broadcaster publicly spoke about his Parkinson's diagnosis in October last year in a BBC film. "Speaking is how I've earned my living for the best part of 50 years, and it's very frustrating sometimes, particularly if people are constantly saying to you, sorry, what did you say?" Stapleton said. "And you have to repeat yourself time and time and time again. I'm fairly pragmatic about the prospect of this getting worse. I try to remain positive because what's the point of not being [positive]."

His health update came days before his death when his son Nick Stapleton spoke via video link on BBC's Morning Live, explaining he was with his father after a sudden downturn. "Unfortunately, Dad's got a bit of a chest infection and that can be pretty nasty if you've got Parkinson's," Nick said. "And I just felt like I really needed to be there with him this weekend and get him some help. And thankfully, that is now in place, and I'm hopeful that, y'know, he'll be back on form pretty soon."

Colleagues and friends continued to pay tribute. Lorraine Kelly recalled that Stapleton was a fixture on the sofa, from GMTV to Parkinson's-related appearances, without an ounce of self-pity. Health editor Dr Hilary joined in on GMB, saying: "He was everybody's friend. He was an inspiration to everyone including the both of us. He spoke to everybody on the same level and he would remember people years after meeting them."

As tributes poured in, colleagues highlighted Stapleton's blend of sharp journalistic instincts with warmth and charm, a hallmark that made him a trusted on-screen presence for decades. He helped shape breakfast television at a time when ITV's morning shows were expanding, and his death drew reflections on a career that spanned more than 40 years across BBC and ITV.

John Stapleton died after complications linked to Parkinson's disease and pneumonia. His agent confirmed he died peacefully in hospital. He is survived by his wife, Lynn Faulds Wood, and his colleagues said goodbye to a broadcaster who helped define an era of British television.