Harry Gration: York Minster thanks giving service date set

The veteran BBC regional news presenter, who lived in York, died suddenly on June 24.

Today the BBC has announced that a service of thanks giving will fittingly be held on Yorkshire Day, August 1, in York Minster.

Mr Gration, 71, became a Yorkshire institution after fronting the BBC’s Look North programme for 38 years.

A spokesman for the BBC said today: "The passing of former BBC Look North presenter and broadcasting great, Harry Gration, MBE, DL on Friday 24th June has touched many hearts through Yorkshire and beyond.

"Today we can announce details of a service of thanksgiving for Harry to be held at York Minster on Monday, August 1 from 11.30am.

"It is the intention for the cortège to travel down Leeman Road, over Lendal bridge, to come to rest in Duncombe Place by York Minster.

"Members of the public are invited to pay their respects but it is anticipated to be exceptionally well attended."

A date for a thanks giving service for the life of BBC legend Harry Gration has been set for August 1 at York Minster

The news of Harry's death was broken by Look North presenter Amy Garcia at the end of the 6pm bulletin on June 24.

For the last seven years of his time at Look North, Mr Gration shared the screen with Ms Garcia.

In 2019, Mr Gration became a father again at the age of 68, when his wife, Helen, gave birth to his sixth child.

At the time of his retirement from broadcasting, Mr Gration said: “For the past four decades, it’s been a privilege to meet the people of the county I love.

“Make no mistake, these good folk are the heartbeat of the programme.

“I’ve worked with the best of the best and leave Look North in the good hands of Amy and the team, although I don’t know how (BBC weatherman) Paul Hudson is going to cope without me checking his forecasts.

“I’m looking forward to some new broadcasting adventures and some special time with my family and a certain one-year-old.”

He said: “I’ve interviewed every prime minister since Margaret Thatcher, covered every major Look North story even at the expense of my holidays, and I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

“I’ve always lived the story. Horrendous events such as the devastating news of Jo Cox’s death, the disastrous floods of recent times, the Bradford Riots, Hillsborough, have always affected me. They were always an assault on my county.

“Stand-out moments include raising over £800,000 on a tandem, pushing a sofa and being tied to Paul: three challenges my body will never forget.”

Bradford-born Mr 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.

When he retired, Ms Garcia said: “It has been an absolute honour to share the red sofa with Harry for the past seven years: a Yorkshire legend, a mentor and a dear friend.

“Look North is a family and Harry has been at the heart of it for so long. He will be missed by the whole team and our loyal viewers.”

Mr Gration's wife, Helen, speaking to the BBC, paid tribute to her husband, saying: "He will forever be with us."

She added: "Our three boys and I loved Harry totally. We had an awful lot of fun with him and our home was his life."

BBC Director-General Tim Davie, speaking to the BBC, said: "Harry Gration MBE was an outstanding broadcaster and commentator.

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

"Loved everywhere, but especially in Yorkshire, he will be hugely missed by his many fans and friends. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time."

Mr Gration, former pupil of St Peter's school in York, was more than a just a TV presenter to the people of York.

From charity champion and York City football fan, to panto side-kick and devoted father, Mr Gration was a regular face in the pages of The Press.

He even once had a column for the paper.

He was also a good friend of Berwick Kaler, and made regular cameo appearances in Berwick's pantomimes at York Theatre Royal.