Letter from America's Alistair Cooke retires

Alistair Cooke, one of the world's greatest broadcasters, has decided to retire from Radio 4's Letter from America, on doctor's advice, at the age of 95.

Mr Cooke began the first of his 2,869 letters in 1946, making the regular radio spot the world's longest continuously running programme. Over the 58 years, Alistair Cooke has written his letter every Thursday on his typewriter in the flat overlooking Central Park in New York.

The letters have a worldwide audience as they broadcast on BBC World Service as well as domestic radio.

"I have had much enjoyment in doing these talks and hope that some of it has passed over to the listeners, to all of whom I now say thank you for your loyalty and goodbye," said Cooke as he signed off.

In honour of the enormous contribution Alistair Cooke has made to the BBC and its listeners for the past 58 years, Radio 4 and the World Service will be broadcasting a selection from the archives over the next few months in 'A Celebration Of Alistair Cooke's Letter From America'.

Mark Byford, Acting BBC Director-General and until recently Director of the World Service, led the tributes for "one of the greatest broadcasters ever, full of insight and wisdom".

"He has brought enormous pleasure to millions of listeners both in the United Kingdom and around the world. We all thank him for his unparalleled contribution," he said.

Jenny Abramsky, Director, BBC Radio and Music, said: "I can still remember listening at university to his letter when Robert Kennedy was shot. His description of the small pantry passage way in San Francisco brought home the horror of Kennedy's death in a personal human way that marked all his letters."

She added: "It is a unique legacy that has touched and influenced us all. We are very sorry he has decided to retire but are grateful for all the years he has devoted to the BBC."

Alistair Cooke summed up his own feelings about Letter from America in 1990: "No pleasure in work well done, in a lifetime of journalism, can compare with the evidence that comes in from the mail that you have done a talk that touched the hearts and minds of a bus driver in Dorset, a judge in Canberra, a student in Bombay, a housewife in Yorkshire, a space scientist in Sri Lanka, a high school teacher in Beijing or a nurse in Libya."

(gmcg)