Manchester-born Guardian and Observer journalist Simon Hoggart has died of pancreatic cancer aged 67, it was announced yesterday.
Hoggart was born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, in 1946 and joined the Guardian after leaving university in 1968.
He wrote on political sketches for the newspaper as well as writing a wine column for The Spectator.
The Guardian’s editor, Alan Rusbridger, said Hoggart wrote with mischief on writings on the theatre of politics.
“Simon was a terrific reporter and columnist – and a great parliamentary sketch writer,” Rusbridger commented.
“A daily reading of his sketch told you things about the working of Westminster which no news story could convey.
“He will be much missed by reader and his colleagues.”
Complications that had arose with the disease coupled with chemotherapy meant that Hoggart was forced to give up writing parliamentary sketches for the Guardian.
The 67-year-old also presented The News Quiz on Radio Four in the early 1980s.
He returned to the show in 1996 and stayed for a further ten years before leaving in March 2006.
Image courtesy of The Guardian via YouTube , with thanks
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