Legendary BBC news reporter dies aged 96-Ruth Lawes-Entertainment – Metro

Cecil Taylor pioneered TV news bulletins in Northern Ireland (Picture: BBC)

BBC Northern Ireland’s first TV reporter Cecil Taylor has died aged 96, it has been announced.

Taylor developed shows including BBC Newsline and also covered historic moments including the start of the Troubles and the IRA campaign of the 1950s in a career spanning four decades.

He died at his home outside Bangor and a thanksgiving service in his honour will be held today (Wednesday January 24), according to the Belfast Telegraph.

Taylor began his career in journalism in local newspapers and joined the BBC in Belfast as a reporter in 1955 before becoming news editor and head of programmes.

A pioneer of news and TV production, Taylor wrote the scripts and appeared on camera on the first Northern Irish local television news just two years after starting his job at the BBC.

Taylor then developed the teatime news bulletin into a longer programme called Scene Around Six, which is now known as BBC Newsline and has launched the careers of presenters including Malcolm Kellard

More to follow.

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