HAMPSHIRE sport is mourning the loss of much-loved former Southern Evening Echo and BBC journalist John Hughes.
The legendary broadcaster has passed away after a long battle with illness, following a distinguished career in local journalism.
Hughes, who was from Nottingham, began his career at the Worthing Herald then as a colleague of BBC legend John Motson on the Sheffield Star and worked for the Echo as a sports reporter/sub-editor for five years after joining in the late 1960s, following several years in Rhodesia working for The Herald.
After leaving the Echo, he made the transition from newspapers to radio and television as a freelancer and soon built a reputation as the voice of Hampshire sport on BBC Radio Solent and South Today, commentating on Saints, Pompey and Hampshire Cricket. He fronted the Monday evening Radio Solent Cricket Scoreboard for many summers.
He also worked as a press officer at Hampshire and edited the Saints programme for many years.
Hughes, who was educated at Lancing College, lived in Bassett.
After a long illness, he spent the last five years in a nursing home a goal-kick away from The Dell.
He died in his late seventies, just a few months after former Pompey and Hampshire star Mike Barnard, his co-commentator on Hampshire Cricket matches for several summers, passed away.
Hughes is survived by his devoted wife Pat, two children and grandchildren.
On a personal MV note: “John was my mentor as I embarked into sports writing and broadcasting, and became a great friend over a long period of time. We often checked the fat over games we’d covered on Saturday evenings, frequently reflecting on broadcasting equipment not working. Great days that will live long in the memory.
“He was a decent footballer and cricketer: a great bloke with whom the media ‘team’ spent many often amusing hours as he rushed around, often in a chaotic state as he tried to make radio and TV broadcasting deadlines.
“We had endless hours of fun in his company travelling to Hampshire cricket, Pompey and Saints away games – not always in the right direction - the days long before satnavs.
"But, above all, he was a top journalist and broadcaster, often covering Saints soccer for more than one radio station at the same time: far from a straighforward task."
Tributes galore have poured in - BT Sports football commentator Ian Darke tweeted: “Sad to hear of death of John Hughes, polished and affable BBC broadcaster on the south coast for so long. Great bloke. RIP John.”
Match of the Day’s John Roder wrote: “As a kid I watched and listened to John Hughes on @BBCSouthNews and @BBCRadioSolent & he then became a colleague, a kind lovely man, a man of Hampshire, John was great company, it was always super to see him at @SouthamptonFC @officialpompey @hantscricket RIP John.” Daily Echo.
The legendary broadcaster has passed away after a long battle with illness, following a distinguished career in local journalism.
Hughes, who was from Nottingham, began his career at the Worthing Herald then as a colleague of BBC legend John Motson on the Sheffield Star and worked for the Echo as a sports reporter/sub-editor for five years after joining in the late 1960s, following several years in Rhodesia working for The Herald.
After leaving the Echo, he made the transition from newspapers to radio and television as a freelancer and soon built a reputation as the voice of Hampshire sport on BBC Radio Solent and South Today, commentating on Saints, Pompey and Hampshire Cricket. He fronted the Monday evening Radio Solent Cricket Scoreboard for many summers.
He also worked as a press officer at Hampshire and edited the Saints programme for many years.
Hughes, who was educated at Lancing College, lived in Bassett.
After a long illness, he spent the last five years in a nursing home a goal-kick away from The Dell.
He died in his late seventies, just a few months after former Pompey and Hampshire star Mike Barnard, his co-commentator on Hampshire Cricket matches for several summers, passed away.
Hughes is survived by his devoted wife Pat, two children and grandchildren.
On a personal MV note: “John was my mentor as I embarked into sports writing and broadcasting, and became a great friend over a long period of time. We often checked the fat over games we’d covered on Saturday evenings, frequently reflecting on broadcasting equipment not working. Great days that will live long in the memory.
“He was a decent footballer and cricketer: a great bloke with whom the media ‘team’ spent many often amusing hours as he rushed around, often in a chaotic state as he tried to make radio and TV broadcasting deadlines.
“We had endless hours of fun in his company travelling to Hampshire cricket, Pompey and Saints away games – not always in the right direction - the days long before satnavs.
"But, above all, he was a top journalist and broadcaster, often covering Saints soccer for more than one radio station at the same time: far from a straighforward task."
Tributes galore have poured in - BT Sports football commentator Ian Darke tweeted: “Sad to hear of death of John Hughes, polished and affable BBC broadcaster on the south coast for so long. Great bloke. RIP John.”
Match of the Day’s John Roder wrote: “As a kid I watched and listened to John Hughes on @BBCSouthNews and @BBCRadioSolent & he then became a colleague, a kind lovely man, a man of Hampshire, John was great company, it was always super to see him at @SouthamptonFC @officialpompey @hantscricket RIP John.” Daily Echo.
