Brian Walden
Updated: 12/20/2025, 1:44:27 PM Wikipedia source
Alastair Brian Walden (8 July 1932 – 9 May 2019) was a British journalist and broadcaster who spent over a decade as a Labour politician and Member of Parliament (MP). He was considered one of the finest political interviewers in the history of British broadcasting. Tenacious and ruthless, he won awards for broadcasting including the BAFTA Richard Dimbleby Award for television in 1986, and in 1991 was named ITV Personality of the Year. He was known for interviews of politicians, especially Margaret Thatcher. He was said to be her favourite interviewer, although he gave her tough interviews.
Infobox
Preceded by
John Hollingworth
Succeeded by
John Sever
Born
Alastair Brian Walden(1932-07-08)8 July 1932West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England
Died
9 May 2019(2019-05-09) (aged 86)Saint Peter Port, Guernsey
Political party
Labour
Spouses
mw- Sybil BlackstoneJane McKerronHazel Downes
Children
4, including Ben (by McKerron)
Alma mater
The Queen's College, OxfordNuffield College, Oxford
Occupation
mw- .inline, .inline dl, .inline ol, .inline ul, dl dl, dl ol, dl ul, ol dl, ol ol dd dd dd , dd dt , dd li , dt dd , dt dt , dt li , li dd dd dd , dd dt , dd li , dt dd , dt dt , dt li , li dd dd ol li BroadcasterjournalistMP
Awards
Richard Dimbleby Award (1986)
Party
Labour
Tables
· External links
Preceded byJohn Hollingworth
Preceded byJohn Hollingworth
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded byJohn Hollingworth
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Member of Parliament for Birmingham All Saints 1964 – February 1974
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Constituency abolished
Preceded byDoris Fisher
Preceded byDoris Fisher
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded byDoris Fisher
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood February 1974 – 1977
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Succeeded byJohn Sever
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded byJohn Hollingworth | Member of Parliament for Birmingham All Saints 1964 – February 1974 | Constituency abolished |
| Preceded byDoris Fisher | Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood February 1974 – 1977 | Succeeded byJohn Sever |
References
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/may/12/brian-walden-obituary
- awards.bafta.orghttp://awards.bafta.org/award/1986/television/richard-dimbleby-award
- BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-48245853
- BFI ScreenOnlinehttp://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/1029067/index.html
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/12/brian-walden-former-labour-mp-and-tv-presenter-dies-aged-86
- The Telegraphhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2019/05/12/brian-walden-former-mp-became-famous-presenter-weekend-world/
- The Times
- The Times
- The Times
- The Times
- Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1968/nov/21/minister-for-repatriation#S5CV0773P0_19681121_HOC_219
- The Times
- The Times
- The Times
- The Times
- The Times
- The Times
- The Times
- The Times
- Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1975/apr/08/european-community-membership#column_1040
- Margaret Thatcher, Volume One: Not For Turning
- The Times
- Michael Foot
- The Times
- The Times
- The Times
- The Times
- The Times
- Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1977/may/09/hydrocarbon-oil-etc#column_972
- In 1967, Walden signed a petition to the Home Secretary calling for the legalisation of cannabis. The Times (24 July 196
- The Times
- Moore, Volume One, p. 509, n.
- The Times
- Weekend Worldhttps://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/105087
- Margaret Thatcher, Volume Two: The Iron Lady
- Margaret Thatcher, Volume Two: Everything She Wants
- Campbell, p. 201.
- Campbell, p. 470.
- Full Disclosure
- The Times
- The Walden Interviewhttps://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/107808
- The Journals of Woodrow Wyatt. Volume Two
- Campbell, p. 692.
- The Timeshttps://www.thetimes.com/article/why-is-this-lying-bastard-lying-to-me-by-rob-burley-fzg9gswjq
- The View From No. 11. Memoirs of a Tory Radical
- "Walden on Heroes (TV Series)"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1605584/
- IMDBhttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm0907062/
- IMDBhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086807/characters/nm0620575
- The Daily Telegraphhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3574208/Ban-on-foxhunting-would-be-a-triumph-for-the-mob.html
- Neil, Andrew [@afneil]https://x.com/afneil/status/1127577934884040704
- Channel 4https://web.archive.org/web/20250124122218/https://www.channel4.com/press/press-pack/brian-and-maggie-press-pack