Gary O’Donoghue, the BBC’s Senior North America Correspondent, came to UWL for the evening on Thursday 6 March for an In Conversation event as part of the University’s Public Lecture series. The event was hosted by UWL’s London School of Film, Media and Design (LSFMD) and was open to staff, students, and local residents.
Gary, who is blind, and the BBC’s first disabled foreign correspondent, was in conversation with Professor of Gender, Technology and Cultural Politics at LSFMD Helen Hester. Attendees were given the chance to put their questions to him and enjoy some fascinating stories and insights into the world of international journalism.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter John CBE opened the evening by introducing Gary and congratulating him on winning the Royal Television Society Breaking News Award the previous evening for the BBC News coverage of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a campaign rally in July 2024 – when his interview with a key eyewitness went viral, scooping all other news outlets, including the major US television networks.
During the conversation, Gary shared his experiences from a decade of covering major international stories for the BBC, reporting on the USA for both UK and international audiences.
Attendees were shown a compilation of footage of Gary reporting on Donald Trump’s conviction on 34 felony charges last May, the assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, near Pennsylvania in July and his US election win in November.
“We almost didn’t go to that rally,” he shared. “It was a smallish rally, and the day before the Republican National Convention, but there was a half chance he might announce his vice-presidential pick that night.”
“It was a beautiful summer’s evening. When the firing started, I knew straight away it was gun fire because I have heard it so often. We hit the deck because we had no idea where the shots were coming from.”
“We went live, and my producer was grabbing people and bringing them to me.”
Talking about the key eyewitness who saw the shooter crawling across the roof, he explained, “We had to make an immediate decision about whether to put him on air. I asked him what he had seen again and again, and he was consistent, so we said let’s do it.”
When asked about a working day in his life, covering the start of Donald Trump’s second term as President, he said:
“In recent times there has been no predictability to our working day. Because of the news cycle at the moment, we are constantly on call. I have spent far more time in hotels than in my own bed. It is relentless.”
After answering a number of questions from audience members, Gary stayed for a networking reception and talked to many attendees including LSFMD students.
“It was a such a privilege to talk to Gary about his award-winning journalism and his experiences in the industry,” said Helen Hester. “He was so generous with his answers, and I have no doubt that the Journalism and Media and Communications students in the audience will have learned a lot from him. It was an inspiring evening, and I consider myself lucky to work at a university where these sorts of events take place.”
Media and Communications student Saeed Warsame said, “It was a brilliant event. I’d watched Gary’s coverage of the shooting at the time, and it was really compelling to hear about what it was like reporting on a big moment like that. I have so much respect for Gary’s work, and it was really insightful to hear more about it.”
Journalism student Joy Price commented, “Hearing Gary’s story inspired me to see a whole new range of possibilities as a journalism student. To see what he overcame and learn about his work was inspiring as he is a real-life example of someone who didn’t let negative words stop him. He shows how we can strive to achieve and become whoever we want to be despite the odds.”
