Tributes as ITN star Emily dies of lung cancer aged 45

JOURNALIST Emily Morgan has died aged 45 after a short battle with lung cancer.

The health and science editor had worked for ITN for 23 years.

Tributes poured in yesterday to the ‘incredibly talented’ mother-oftwo whose reporting on the Covid pandemic was described as ‘courageous, calm and compassionate’.

Chris Ship, ITV News royal editor, tweeted: ‘She was such a beautiful person and a dear friend.

‘As health editor, Emily was fearless in reporting Covid to the nation in 2020. Talented, kind, full of humanity.

‘But beyond work, [she] was a cherished friend to many of us... We will miss her in the office.’ Ms Morgan was political correspondent and health editor before being promoted to health and science editor not long before she died.

Reflecting on the challenge of covering the pandemic, she had said: ‘It isn’t easy reporting on deaths, especially large numbers. What every death is not is a statistic. Yet, with so many, the fear is each one gets added in with another and they become a blur of numbers.’

Ms Morgan told many colleagues that she wanted to be remembered not as a journalist, but as a mother, wife, sister, daughter and friend, according to ITV News. Around 48,500 people are diagnosed with lung cancer in the UK every year – the equivalent of more than 130 new cases every day, according to Cancer Research UK.

Just one in ten of those diagnosed will survive for ten years or more.

Andrew Dagnell, editor of ITV News, said: ‘We are deeply saddened by the passing of our remarkable colleague.

‘Emily was not only an incredibly talented journalist, but a muchloved member of the ITV newsroom and her absence will be deeply felt by all who knew her.’

Rachel Corp, chief executive officer of ITN, said: ‘Emily touched the lives of many with her knowledge, kindness and empathy – those she worked with, those she interviewed, those watching from home.

‘She had so much to be proud of in her career, and in her life with her devoted family.’

Chancellor and former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt tweeted: ‘Emily was a superb journalist and a truly lovely person with whom I was truly lucky to work over many years.

‘Goodness me, life is cruel, but we are all thinking of her amazing contribution as well as her treasured family today.’