My life through a lens

Celebrities share the stories behind their favourite photographs. This week it’s newsreader Alastair Stewart, 67

1975

I studied Economics at Bristol University and loved it. I broke out from being the son of a conservative RAF officer and became the full-time deputy president of the National Union of Students. I went on local TV and was ripped to shreds, but I gave as good as I got. The editor asked if I’d thought of going into TV. My dad, who was always my absolute hero, said, ‘Give it a go,’ so I did, and have been in the industry for 43 years – all thanks to him.

2006

I took Sally and my two younger children Oscar [far left] and Freddie [second from right] with me to receive my OBE, which was a great honour. My two older children Alexander [far right] and Clemmie [top left] were able to observe from afar, because a friend of mine worked at the Palace. We had lunch afterwards with my mum, dad and mother-in-law. The award was particularly special to Dad, because it was the country he’d served in the Forces saying thank you to one of his sons.

1976

I met my wife Sally in the newsroom at Southern TV – I saw her across the room and thought, ‘Wow!’ We married in 1978. At the rehearsal the week before, the vicar turned up late in jodhpurs, as he was honorary regimental chaplain to the Household Cavalry. He’d been out riding with them and had had a sherry or two. As Sally and I share a love of horses, a vicar in full riding gear couldn’t have been more fitting.

2015

Occasionally ITV will invite a senior royal to the studios and ask if there are shows they’re fond of, and if there’s anyone they’d like to meet. Camilla said, ‘I watch far too much TV, I love it!’ She talked about Birds Of A Feather, said, ‘I love that Eamonn Holmes,’ and mentioned me, too. We had visions of her sipping tea in the morning watching Eamonn, then a G&T in the evening watching Mary Nightingale and me. Eamonn and I met Camilla [pictured], and she’s brilliant. She is who she is and does so much for charity.

1962

This is me aged ten in Dorset for Christmas during the Big Freeze that struck Britain that winter. My family and I were visiting my Uncle Tom [far left], who had been in the Royal Tank Regiment. My dad James – who was always known as Jimmy – was an RAF officer and he’d had to go back to work, so we stayed on for a few extra days.

1965

My dad kept moving around on different postings with the RAF, so I was sent to a Benedictine boarding school in Ramsgate, Kent. I loathed it but enjoyed spending the weekends Scouting, and sailing and riding – the two releases that have stayed with me all my life. Here I am [standing, centre] with my fellow Scouts. I got my cook’s badge for cooking a fish pie outside in a biscuit tin, with mud sealing the lid. Yes, it was edible!

1982

After Pope John Paul II’s visit to the UK, he returned to Rome and I, in my capacity as an ITN journalist, flew with him. Just before we landed, he came to the back of the plane and started chatting with us, leading the frustrated pilot to ask us ‘all’ to take our seats. He pleaded again and again. In the end, he announced over the plane’s Tannoy – ‘Including you, Holy Father!’.

2019

These are my wife’s donkeys, Iggle Piggle and Hobnob, who are lovely creatures. My son Freddie has a business training and breeding horses, so we spend a fair amount on vets and farriers. I also adore my work for Brooke, the international welfare charity for working horses, donkeys and mules. We encourage people in developing countries to invest a little more to make sure their animals have shade and water, their feet are looked after, and when they’re off-colour they get looked at by a vet. We raise money in the UK, but it’s spent by local people.