View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
October 6, 2003updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Sky News reporter found dead

By Press Gazette

James Forlong, the former Sky News reporter, who resigned after faking a news report aboard the submarine HMS Splendid during the second Gulf War, was found dead at his home over the weekend.

Forlong was found hanged at his home in Hove, according to a report in the Brighton Argus.

Sussex Police confirmed a 44 year-old man was found dead at his home in Hove in the early hours of Saturday morning. “There were no suspicious circumstances,” a spokeswoman said.

A post mortem will be held on Tuesday and an inquest into his death is to be held at a later date.

Forlong, with the broadcaster for 10 years, left in July following an internal investigation that was prompted by a BBC documentary featuring the fabricated report.

At the time the Guardian wrote a story on the impending documentary and its intention to expose the Sky News report as fake.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

The report had included images showing a cruise missile being fired after Forlong said HMS Splendid was “beneath the waters of the Persian Gulf… moments before a cruise missile is launched”, when the submarine was actually in dry dock where it was impossible to fire from.

It later transpired those images were library footage, and Sky admitted the report was a fabrication.

At the time, head of Sky News Nick Pollard said he believed Forlong had taken “the only possible course” in resigning.

by Wale Azeez

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network