Peter Sissons

Infobox_Celebrity
name = Peter Sissons


imagesize =
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birth_date = July 17, 1942
birth_place = Liverpool, Merseyside, England
death_date =
death_place =
occupation = TV presenter, newsreader and journalist
salary =
networth =
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Peter George Sissons (born July 17, 1942 in Liverpool) is a television newsreader in the United Kingdom. He is known for deadpan humour, colourful and slightly bizarre inferences/suggestions in response to news events, and deceptively curmudgeonly countenance.

Originally from Liverpool, he attended the Dovedale Road Junior School with John Lennon and Jimmy Tarbuck and after the 11+ to the Liverpool Institute for Boys from 1953 to 1961 with Bill Kenwright, George Harrison and Paul McCartney. He later studied at University College, Oxford where he was Treasurer of the University College Players.

After many years as a journalist, his first stint as a newsreader came in 1976 when he began anchoring ITN's News At One bulletins alternately with Leonard Parkin until the first incarnation of the series was dropped by ITV in 1987 after Leonard Parkin decided to retire from ITN; Sissons subsequently left for the BBC.

In June 1989, Peter Sissons took over from Sir Robin Day as the presenter of Question Time. He continued until December 1993, when he was followed by David Dimbleby.

He also co-presented BBC's 1992 General Election Night coverage with David Dimbleby and Peter Snow. Previously he had been a co-presenter on ITN's election night programmes in 1983 (with Sir Alastair Burnet and Martyn Lewis) and in 1987 (with Burnet and Alastair Stewart).

He has worked for ITN, Channel 4 News and BBC News, where he hosted the BBC Nine O'Clock News and the Ten O'Clock News. He retired from this position in January 2003. Sissons reportedly accused the BBC of ageism in response to its decision to move him from the prime slot. [cite news
author = Andrew Clennell
title = Peter Sissons is moved from BBC's 10 o'clock slot
url = http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20020901/ai_n12639563
publisher = The Independent
date = 2002-09-01
accessdate = 2006-12-09 ]

He now presents weekend afternoons on BBC News, the corporation's 24 hour rolling news channel. Sissons also presents News 24 Sunday, the replacement for Andrew Marr's BBC One programme The Andrew Marr Show when it is off air during the Summer. He also occasionally presents weekend bulletins on BBC One.

Sissons is also a Liverpool John Moores University Honorary Fellow and delivered a lecture on 19th June 2008 speaking about the City of Liverpool. [ [http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/NewsUpdate/index_95279.htm News Update ] ]

His daughter is the actress Kate Sissons.

Queen Mother's death controversy

Peter Sissons was criticised when he announced The Queen Mother's death while wearing a burgundy tie as opposed to a black one, deemed more appropriate for such news. [cite news
title = Sissons hits back at critics
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1908497.stm
publisher = BBC
date = 2002-04-03
accessdate = 2006-12-09 ] Sissons has since publicly defended his actions. [cite news
author = David Sapsted and Matt Born
title = Sissons defends corporation's coverage and lack of a black tie
url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/04/03/nbbc103.xml
publisher = Telegraph
date = 2002-04-03
accessdate = 2006-12-09 ]

References

Persondata
NAME= Sissons, Peter George
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= TV presenter, newsreader and journalist
DATE OF BIRTH= July 17, 1942
PLACE OF BIRTH= Liverpool, Merseyside, England
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=