John Pilger dies aged 84 - tributes paid to brave and insightful investigative journalist

Investigative journalist and former Daily Mirror reporter John Pilger, who broke important stories on the Thalidomide scandal and the aftermath of Pol Pot's regime, has died at the age of 84

By Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas, News Reporter & Charlotte McLaughlin
31 Dec 2023

Investigative journalist John Pilger has died aged 84, his family has announced.

The Australian-born documentary maker was known for his work covering the aftermath of Pol Pot's regime in Cambodia, and also looked into the Thalidomide scandal along with his war correspondent work.

A statement to his X, formerly Twitter, page on Sunday said: "It is with great sadness the family of John Pilger announce he died yesterday 30 December 2023 in London aged 84. "His journalism and documentaries were celebrated around the world, but to his family he was simply the most amazing and loved Dad, Grandad and partner. Rest In Peace." Pilger worked for the Daily Mirror, ITV's former investigative programme World In Action and Reuters.

Over his long career, Pilger broke important stories on the Thalidomide scandal and the aftermath of Pol Pot's regime

In 1979, the ITV film Year Zero: The Silent Death Of Cambodia revealed the extent of the Khmer Rouge's crimes and Pilger won an International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences award for his 1990s follow-up ITV documentary Cambodia: The Betrayal. Pilger also made the 1974 documentary Thalidomide: The Ninety-Eight We Forgot, about the campaign for compensation for children after concerns were raised about birth defects when expectant mothers took the drug, for ITV.

Tributes have flooded in from former colleagues and fellow journalists. The Daily Mirror's associate editor Kevin Maguire wrote on X: "John Pilger was a great Daily Mirror journalist back in the day, one of the very best. Brave, insightful, challenging authority and instinctively on the side of the underdog. RIP."

Daily Mirror Editor-in-Chief Alison Phillips said: "John Pilger was most likely the greatest of all Mirror Men. He believed in journalism with purpose and its power to change the world. As a Mirror sub editor then reporter for almost quarter of a century spanning the early 60s to late 80s - and with more recent guest appearances in our pages over the past decade - he instinctively understood great storytelling.

"He also believed in the journalist’s responsibility to use their trade for good. Pilger was instrumental in shaping the conscience and values of our title during Cudlipp’s Mirror of the ‘60s and we remain perpetually grateful to him for instilling those ideals which we still hold dear today."

Kevin Lygo, managing director of media and entertainment at ITV, said: "John was a giant of campaigning journalism. He had a clear, distinctive editorial voice which he used to great effect throughout his distinguished filmmaking career. His documentaries were engaging, challenging and always very watchable.

"He eschewed comfortable consensus and instead offered a radical, alternative approach on current affairs and a platform for dissenting voices over 50 years. John's films gave viewers analysis and opinion often not seen elsewhere in the television mainstream. It was a contribution that greatly added to the rich plurality of British television. Our thoughts and condolences are with John's family, friends and colleagues at this sad time."

Pilger also campaigned for the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has been embroiled in a lengthy battle against extradition to the US, and put up the cost of his bail. During his career, Pilger made a series of remarks criticising American and British foreign policy and the treatment of Indigenous Australians.

John Pilger dies aged 84 - tributes paid to brave and insightful investigative journalist - World News - Mirror Online