He was one of the most recognisable faces in Yorkshire. A man you could bump into in a local shop and, even though you’d never met him, instantly want to greet as an old friend.
That’s because, for almost four decades from his sofa in the Look North studios, Harry Gration was an honorary guest in our own homes each day as we watched the evening news over tea.
Harry, who died suddenly last month aged 71, was laid to rest yesterday following a service of thanksgiving at York Minster - fittingly, on Yorkshire Day.
His Look North co-presenter Amy Garcia told the congregation: “Harry was the heartbeat of the programme and head of the Look North family for four decades. Often called Mr Yorkshire, he was passionate about the county and its people.”
Ms Garcia said Look North had received thousands of messages from well-wishers since Gration’s death. She said: “He was their voice. He was on their side. He was their friend too.”
Harry’s widow Helen, with two of her sons - Harrison and Harvey - standing beside her, paid a more personal tribute. “We know that we shared him with many,” she said. “(But) to us he was a husband, dad and daddy and we loved him totally.”
Harry's widow Helen at the service of thanksgiving at York Minster yesterday
For his legion of fans, however, what made this sports-loving news presenter so different, was that he was far more than just a face delivering the news from a studio each evening. Harry was always out and about - meeting people, opening events, joining in fun runs, or famously raising money for charity, whether that was by means of a three-legged run with Look North weather presenter Paul Hudson, or a tandem bike-ride with co-presenter Amy Garcia.
He also had a great sense of humour, his fellow Look North presenter Keeley Donovan reminded us yesterday - including a famously teasing relationship with Paul Hudson. On his final Look North show before retirement, Keeley said, he signed off with the words: “For the very last time... as Paul makes an accurate forecast for the first time...”
We’ve dug out a few photographs from the last 20 or so years to celebrate the life of this great, and yet so ordinary and modest, Yorkshireman.
Rest in peace, Harry...
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