June 17th 2024.
Dan Walker recently spoke about the procedures in place for a major death. As a journalist, he has had to navigate through difficult news stories and the death of Queen Elizabeth was no exception. The 47-year-old was presenting on Channel 5 when the news broke in September 2022 that the beloved monarch had passed away at the age of 96 after a 70-year reign.
Having previously worked at the BBC, Dan was familiar with the protocol for announcing a major death, also known as the "obituary procedure". This was something that he carried with him wherever he went, even after leaving the broadcaster. "When I was at the BBC, now and again, we would go through what they call the obituary procedure. It's a process for handling a Category 1 death," he shared with Sorted magazine. "You have to be serious, but at the same time, you have to connect with your audience. It's like having a conversation with your family when you have to break the news of a loved one's passing."
Dan recalled his experience as a BBC presenter before making his Channel 5 debut in 2022. "Most of the viewers had never known a world without the Queen. It felt like we were losing a family member, someone we all knew," he said. When it came to reporting the news himself, Dan thought about how he would want to hear it as a viewer. "On Channel 5, I said something along the lines of, 'I have some breaking news to share. You might want to sit down for this'," he explained. "That's how I would want to hear it if I were on the other end of the TV screen. I then went on to explain what was happening at Balmoral at the time. The nation was prepared for it, but nothing can truly prepare you for the news when it becomes official."
Dan's career in the media has been diverse, having covered sports, current affairs, and even competing on Strictly Come Dancing. However, when he first started out, he had different plans and "never expected" to make it in the industry. "I did A-levels and then went on to study history. After that, I did another degree in broadcast journalism. I actually wanted to be a teacher, but I was rejected," he shared. "That's when I turned to journalism and started working my way up the ladder. I never thought I would get anywhere, I just thought it was a cool job. I got to go to football matches, be in a studio, read the news, and present programmes."
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