JON Snow presented his last ever show for Channel 4 News tonight after 32 years as main presenter.

Channel 4’s 7pm news show ended tonight with a tribute to its longest-serving presenter in the programme’s history.

Tributes poured in from his fellow presenters, to the very people he questioned for years such as Gordon Brown and Jacob Rees-Mogg.

The 74-year-old, who was born in Ardingly near Haywards Heath, has been with ITN since 1978 and will continue with Channel 4 on long-form projects. He stated he wants to focus more of his time on his charitable work.

The programme looked at some of his defining moments, from when he interviewed Nelson Mandela in 1994, his bulletin about bombings in Gaza in 2014, to his reporting on the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017.

His fellow presenter, Jackie Long, said it has been an “honour” to present with him, while Channel 4 editor Ben De Pear described Jon as a “giant of a journalist” and a “humble, beautiful man”.

Mr Snow, who announced that he would step down as main presenter in April, ended the programme with a heartfelt message to his colleagues and viewers.

The Argus: He was main presenter for 32 years at Channel 4He was main presenter for 32 years at Channel 4

He said: “It’s wonderful and so rewarding after so long at the coalface of news. But in the end, I am nothing without this studio without the significant, skilled, technical and journalistic teams night after night who ensure Channel 4 News comes to you.

“The joy of working here is those teams and their skills, technicians and journalists. Thanks to the far-sighted governments and regulators that have given us an hour of independent news in prime time!

“Thank you to all the people who have trusted me with their stories all over the world, often in appalling circumstances but most of all, I am so grateful to you at home sitting there.

“It’s not always an easy watch and we don’t always get it right, but your hunger to learn more about the world, to hear different voices, to get closer to the truth, it’s been the greatest privilege of my life to bring you the news, thank you. Stay safe, that is Channel 4 news.”

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