THE GUARDIAN:
In final message to be released after his death, Jersey-based broadcaster said: ‘I’ve had the best life’
Gary Burgess began working as a reporter at ITV Channel TV in May 2011 in the Guernsey newsroom, before moving to Jersey in March 2012. Photograph: ITV News Channel TV
A 46-year-old television journalist who spoke out about his cancer diagnosis has died, ITV has confirmed.
Gary Burgess died peacefully in his sleep at a hospice in Jersey on New Year’s Day. Doctors had found tumours on his lungs and told him they were inoperable.
He was first diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1999, and treated for further tumours in 2015 and 2016.
Burgess used a popular blog to record his condition. In November 2020, he told followers that he had six to 12 months left to live and documented his cancer journey after receiving the terminal diagnosis.
The Manchester-born broadcaster set the world record for the longest radio show at Blackpool’s Radio Wave, staying on air for 76 hours and raising money for charity.
In a final message, written for ITV to release after his death, the journalist wrote: “I’ve had the best life. I’ve had the luckiest life.
“I met my soulmate and the love of my life who went on to become my husband. I got to work with some of the most amazing people in newsrooms and studios doing the job I absolutely adore.
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Rajeev Syal and agencies |Sunday, January 2, 2022