Wife of late BBC presenter Harry Gration shares touching image of 'grieving' family dog

The wife of the late Harry Gration has shared a touching photograph of the family dog 'grieving' for the former BBC presenter.

Beloved Look North presenter Harry died in June of this year, leading to an outpouring of tributes.

His wife Helen now runs his official Twitter account and last night (Saturday 16) she shared a photograph of their dog with one of Harry's shoes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Her emotional Tweet said: "May I just share with you how, every night, this lovely doggy opens the boot cupboard and brings us Harry’s shoe… every night.

"I guess dogs grieve too… Helen and the boys x"

Harry became a Yorkshire institution after fronting the BBC’s Look North programme between 1982 and 2020 in a career spanning more than 40 years.

Bradford-born Gration joined the BBC in 1978 after working as a history teacher, and joined Look North in 1982, although he left for a spell working on BBC South Today in the 1990s.

He covered nine Olympic Games for the BBC and won two Royal Television Society (RTS) awards for his sports documentaries: White Rose In Africa in 1992 and Dickie Bird: A Rare Species in 1997.

The family's pet often sleeps with one of Harry's shoes, his wife Helen said in a touching Twitter post. Image: Twitter/@GrationHarryThe family's pet often sleeps with one of Harry's shoes, his wife Helen said in a touching Twitter post. Image: Twitter/@GrationHarry
The family's pet often sleeps with one of Harry's shoes, his wife Helen said in a touching Twitter post. Image: Twitter/@GrationHarry

And he won the RTS Best Presenter award twice.

He was made an MBE for services to broadcasting in 2013.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The corporation’s director-general Tim Davie said Gration was “loved everywhere, but especially in Yorkshire”.

He added: “Harry Gration MBE was an outstanding broadcaster and commentator.

Harry Gration holding his MBE presented to him by the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace in London.Harry Gration holding his MBE presented to him by the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace in London.
Harry Gration holding his MBE presented to him by the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace in London.

“He had a real connection with the public who saw him as one of their own.

“He will be hugely missed by his many fans and friends. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jason Horton, acting director of BBC England, described Gration as “one of the true broadcasting greats”.

“He was a natural on the television and on radio, adored by our audiences, especially as the trusted face of Look North and South Today,” he added.

“He loved news, sport, his colleagues and fundraising for Children in Need and Comic Relief. Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and everyone across the BBC who he worked with.”