Biography.guide
Home › People › Journalist › Brian Widlake
Portrait of Brian Widlake

Brian Widlake

1931 – 2017

British television journalist

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Brian Widlake

Lived 1931 – 2017 (aged 85). Brian Widlake was a British journalist and presenter, known for BBC Radio 4, BBC Two and ITN.

Nigel Brian Windsor Widlake (13 April 1931 – 2 January 2017) was a British journalist, broadcaster and presenter.

Early life Widlake was born in Fiji on 13 April 1931.

Education Widlake was educated at two independent schools for boys, at the time based in Hammersmith in West London: first at Colet Court School, now known as St Paul's Juniors, when, shortly after enrolment, he and others were evacuated to the village of Much Hadham in Hertfordshire in the early part of the Second World War, and then at St Paul's School, followed by Clare College, Cambridge. and was a regular presenter of BBC Radio 4's news magazine programmes The World at One and PM during the 1970s and 1980s. Widlake joined London's news and talk radio station LBC to present a breakfast programme on LBC Crown FM, later LBC NewsTalk 97.3 in 1989. He then transferred to LBC's hour-long Midday News programme.

Widlake conducted Nelson Mandela's first ever televised interview in 1961. At the time, Mandela was on the run from the South African police. He also became well known for co-presenting The Money Programme on BBC 2 in the early 1980s with Valerie Singleton.

Widlake died, following a short illness, at home in Wiltshire on 2 January 2017, at the age of 85.

Personal life He had one daughter and one son, as well as one stepdaughter and two stepsons.

Widlake died on 2 January 2017 in Wiltshire.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Known for
BBC Radio 4, BBC Two, ITN, LBC, PM (BBC Radio 4), The Money Programme
moreThe World at One
Education
Clare College, Colet Court, Clare College, Cambridge, St Paul's Juniors
Employers
BBC, ITN, LBC
Also known as
Nigel Brian Windsor Widlake

Family & relationships

Child
Mark Nicholas

People in Brian Widlake's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Brian Widlake's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Brian Widlake?

British television journalist (1931-2017)

When was Brian Widlake born?

Brian Widlake was born on 13 April 1931 in Fiji.

When did Brian Widlake die?

Brian Widlake died on 2 January 2017 in Wiltshire.

What was Brian Widlake's occupation?

Brian Widlake was a journalist and presenter.

What was Brian Widlake known for?

Brian Widlake was known for BBC Radio 4, BBC Two, ITN, LBC, PM (BBC Radio 4) and The Money Programme.

What nationality was Brian Widlake?

Brian Widlake was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Brian Widlake

· Wikidata: Q4965632

· DBpedia: Brian Widlake

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Brian Widlake. https://biography.guide/brian-widlake/

MLA: "Brian Widlake." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/brian-widlake/.

Chicago: "Brian Widlake." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/brian-widlake/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:33 UTC