Honorary doctorate for former UTV reporter

John Irvine received an honorary doctor of Letters (DLitt) from Ulster University. Credit: Nigel McDowell

Former UTV reporter and now ITV News correspondent John Irvine has been awarded an honorary doctorate for his outstanding contribution to journalism.

The Belfast man was recognised by Ulster University for his decades-long career, which has taken him around the world.

His experience of covering conflicts has already earned him plenty of accolades.

John Irvine with his family after receiving his honorary degree. Credit: Nigel McDowell

He spent the duration of the 2003 Gulf War stationed in Baghdad, reporting live on nightly bombing raids and winning the Royal Television Society Journalist of the Year award for his coverage.

He was also part of the ITV News team that won a BAFTA for coverage of the horrific earthquake that levelled Port-au-Prince in Haiti in 2010.

John Irvine started his career as a junior reporter in Omagh, going on to join the UTV news team in the late 1980s.

He was appointed as ITV’s Ireland correspondent in 1996 and is now a senior international correspondent, based with his family in Dubai.

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