Sir Trevor McDonald became ITN’s first black reporter in 1973 and went on to win more awards than any other British broadcaster. McDonald was knighted in 1999 for his services to journalism- this is the highest civilian award in the United Kingdom.
He was born in Claxton Bay, Trinidad, where his father Lawson worked in a nearby oil refinery and raised pigs.
The eldest of four children, Sir Trevor once recalled: “We lived in a terribly small house with cracks in the walls, which we used to paper over with newspaper.”
He was educated at Trinidad’s elite Naparima College, where he was a founding member of the school’s Blue Circle Network- a weekly radio programme that kept students abreast of current events. At ‘Naps’ he read widely and won public speaking contests, partly thanks to listening to BBC World Service Radio.
Sir Trevor began his career in Trinidad in 1962, working in various branches of the media including local newspapers, radio and television.
He joined the World Service’s Caribbean section as a producer before relocating to London in 1969 to work for BBC Radio.
Moving to Independent Television News (ITN) in 1973, Sir Trevor rose steadily through the ranks. He served as a news, sports and diplomatic correspondent before becoming a diplomatic editor and newsreader.
By this time Sir Trevor was popular enough to be parodied on ITV children’s programme Tiswas by comedian Lenny Henry, who wore giant glasses, read spoof bulletins and called himself Trevor McDoughnut.
Sir Trevor also became known for quipping “and finally” before reporting a light-hearted story at the end of each bulletin.
He has interviewed such prominent world figures as former US President Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela, Saddam Hussein and is yet to interview President Donald Trump.
Adapted from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4531230.stm