\u2018His son Nick and daughter-in-law Lisa have been constantly at his side and John died peacefully in hospital this morning.\u2019<\/p>\n
Last year, the former\u00a0Good Morning Britain<\/span>\u00a0presenter revealed his devastating battle with Parkinson\u2019s in an emotional interview on\u00a0BBC<\/span>\u00a0One\u2019s Morning Live.<\/p>\n \u2018Speaking is how I\u2019ve earned my living for the best part of 50 years,\u2019 he said last October.<\/p>\n \u2018It\u2019s very frustrating sometimes, particularly (when) people are constantly saying to you \u2018Sorry, what did you say?\u2019 And you have to repeat yourself, time and time again.<\/p>\n \u2018I am fairly pragmatic about the prospect of this getting worse. I try to remain positive, because what\u2019s the point of not being?\u2019<\/p>\n Kirsty Wark, Jill Dando and John Stapleton are pictured in May 1988 while they worked as BBC Breakfast Time presenters<\/p>\n<\/div>\n John Stapleton with his wife Lynn Faulds Wood and their son Nick<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Parkinson\u2019s is a neurodegenerative condition. The illness effects the nerve cells in the brain that control movement.<\/p>\n Over time the symptoms gradually get worse. It can cause symptoms related to movement as well as pain, depression and loss of smell.<\/p>\n Most people who get Parkinson\u2019s are over 60, but one in ten are under 50 and it affects more men than women.<\/p>\n What causes the symptoms?<\/span><\/p>\n Nerve cells in the brain send messages to the rest of out body to control our movements. This is done using chemicals called neurotransmitters.<\/p>\n An area of the brain\u00a0called the substantia nigra produces one of the neurotransmitters that controls movement: dopamine. But in 70 to 80 per cent of people with Parkinson\u2019s these dopamine producing cells deteriorate and die.<\/p>\n The loss of dopamine-producing neurons results in low levels of dopamine in the part of the brain that controls movement and balance.<\/p>\n Source: Parkinson\u2019s Europe\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The veteran broadcaster had previously revealed how both his grandmother and mother battled with the same disease.<\/p>\n Parkinson\u2019s disease is a degenerative condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years, with symptoms including tremors and slow movement.<\/p>\n Born in Oldham in 1946, Stapleton began his career in newspapers before presenting BBC\u2019s Panorama and Newsnight, where he reported from trouble spots in the Middle East, El Salvador and Argentina during the Falklands War.<\/p>\n He also presented Good Morning Britain, before returning to the BBC in 1986 to to present consumer show Watchdog alongside his wife Lynn Faulds Wood until 1993.<\/p>\n His death comes five years after Ms Wood died aged 72 after suffering a stroke.<\/p>\n The pair met when she was working in a pub in 1971 and tied the knot six years later.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They had their son, Nick, together in 1987.<\/p>\n Tributes have poured in for Stapleton, with television presenter Mark Austin saying his death was \u2018incredibly sad\u2019.<\/p>\n Responding to the news in a post on X, Austin wrote: \u2018Incredibly sad.<\/p>\n \u2018A good man and top presenter who could turn his hand to anything. Best wishes to his family.\u2019<\/p>\n Good Morning Britain co-creator Erron Gordon revealed touching anecdotes about working with Stapleton in an emotional tribute.TRENDING<\/p>\n He wrote: \u2018John Stapleton was one of the very best presenters I directed at GMTV and Good Morning Britain.<\/p>\n \u2018His versatility was unmatched, and he had an innate ability to navigate any challenge from breaking news to technical hiccups, whether in the studio or on location he was brilliant.<\/p>\n \u2018Each Christmas, he and Penny Smith would bring the crew presents, showing just how much he cared about the team.<\/p>\n \u2018He was truly one of the good guys. Rest in peace, Stapes.\u2019<\/p>\n Stapleton and his \u2018on-screen wife\u2019 Smith presented together for 17 years and they were emotionally reunited last month.<\/p>\n During the sit-down interview on GB News, he said he \u2018can\u2019t do anything about\u2019 his Parkinson\u2019s so there\u2019s \u2018no point moaning about it.\u2019<\/p>\n Stapleton said: \u2018The future is surviving, basically. Doing my best to cope with this, this downturn in my lifestyle, really. But as I say, I could be far worse off. I\u2019ve got great mates, a lovely son and a lovely daughter-in-law.\u2019<\/p>\n Television presenter Sangita Myska said Stapleton was \u2018the epitome of collegiate behaviour\u2019 and \u2018a great journalist, role model and gentleman\u2019.<\/p>\n She wrote: \u2018Incredibly sad news that the veteran journalist and broadcaster John Stapleton has passed away. I watched him on TV when I was growing up with admiration.<\/p>\n \u2018One day, out of the blue, he sent me a very kind message about my reporting. I was absolutely chuffed! We continued to message from time to time over the years. He was always quick with praise and wisdom.<\/p>\n \u2018When I left the BBC and landed at LBC he made a point of listening to my first show. He could not have been more encouraging. Broadcasting can sometimes be an unkind business, but John was the epitome of collegiate behaviour.<\/p>\n \u2018Rest in Peace, John. Thank you for being a great journalist, role model and gentleman. I know you\u2019ll be reunited with your wonderful wife Lynn. My thoughts and prayers are with your family.\u2019<\/p>\n GMB presenter Charlotte Hawkins shared a photo of the pair in the studio together when he came on the show last year and wrote: \u2018So sad to hear John Stapleton \u2013 our \u2018Stapes\u2019 has died.<\/p>\n \u2018He was such a brilliant broadcaster and I loved working with him on GMB. A genuinely lovely man, it was good to see him when he came in just a few months ago to talk about his Parkinson\u2019s diagnosis. He\u2019ll be much missed.\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Broadcast legend John Stapleton has died aged 79 after his battle with Parkinson\u2019s disease was complicated by pneumonia. Stapleton, who presented on programmes including Newsnight, Panorama and GMTV\u2019s News Hour during a remarkable...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6333,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"Broadcaster](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2025\/09\/21\/09\/102319421-0-image-a-1_1758444559359.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Kirsty](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2025\/09\/21\/10\/102319605-15119277-image-a-13_1758445674910.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"John](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2025\/09\/21\/10\/27606030-15119277-Family_Lynn_with_her_husband_John_Stapleton_and_their_son_Nichol-a-16_1758445953469.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhat is Parkinson\u2019s ?<\/h3>\n
![\"Broadcaster](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2025\/09\/21\/10\/102319603-15119277-image-a-15_1758445737816.jpg\")
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