Jon Snow is an English journalist and presenter, currently employed by ITN. He is best known as the longest-running presenter of Channel 4 News.
Snow declined an OBE because he believes working journalists should not take honours from those about whom they report. In 1976, Snow rejected an approach by the British intelligence services to spy on his colleagues. At first he was asked to supply information about the Communist Party, but he was then asked to spy on certain "left-wing people" working in television. In return he would have received secret monthly, tax-free payments into his bank account, matching his then salary. In early 2014, he had a heated debate with comedian and actor Russell Brand, who appeared in a Channel 4 interview about his petition for a debate on the UK drug laws.
Jon Snow’s annual appearances on The Big Fat Quiz Of The Year see him recite the lyrics of well-known chart hits, in his usual news-reading tone. He recently took skunk cannabis onscreen as part of the documentary Drugs Live, and claimed it scared him more than being in Gaza. He is also well known for his vast collection of colourful ties and socks. Snow’s autobiography, ‘Shooting History’, was published in 2004.
