Stephen Cole

Stephen Joseph Samuel Cole (born 29 March 1954) is a British journalist, producer, news anchor and television presenter. He was the creative force behind BBC Click and its first host from 2000-2006. Cole was also part of the original launch lineup for Sky News in 1989, the revamped CNN International in 1995 and the launch of Al Jazeera English in 2006, as well as anchoring for BBC World News from 1996-2006. He is currently a non-executive director of communications agency Brazil. Early life Cole was born on 29 March 1954, in Hereford, England, to Brian Cole, a businessman, and Patricia Cole (née Smith), who served in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) during World War II at Bletchley Park, where she was tasked with decrypting Luftwaffe signals. He attended the independent Solihull School. At the age of 19, he received occupational guidance which recommended a career with HM Customs & Excise, in agriculture, or in journalism. Career After receiving his National Certificate for the Training of Journalists from Cardiff University, Cole was hired by the Caters News Agency as a print reporter on national news and sports. His baptism of fire came during the Birmingham pub bombings of 1974. Having been in the city on another assignment the night of the attack, Cole covered the aftermath and the subsequent trials. From 1978 to 1989, Cole broke into television news, filing reports for ITN and BBC Nationwide.