David Knowles, the journalist who has died aged 32, was identified and cherished by an enormous variety of listeners all around the world for his devoted work presenting the Telegraph’s award-winning Ukraine podcast; a naturally gifted broadcaster, he was a reassuringly authoritative presence who by no means pushed his personal character into the foreground, despite the fact that he felt deeply concerning the destiny of the Ukrainian individuals.
Every episode would open together with his clear and mild tones: “I’m David Knowles, and that is Ukraine: The Newest.” He would introduce his fellow presenters, Telegraph colleagues Dominic Nicholls and Francis Dearnley, in addition to particular company, and announce the dateline (“it’s Tuesday the thirtieth of July, two years and 100 and sixty two days because the full-scale invasion started”) in opposition to the background of a quietly insistent percussive musical theme.
The podcast grew to become a runaway hit – it’s quick approaching 100 million downloads – prized by listeners (together with senior gamers within the struggle) for the granular element with which it illuminated day-to-day occasions within the Russia-Ukraine struggle, interviewing consultants and listening to reviews from the sector. Knowles himself made 4 visits to Ukraine, together with two to Bucha, website of a infamous bloodbath, and one other an support go to to Kramatorsk.
Dominic Nicholls, the Telegraph’s Affiliate Editor (Defence), who was one of many common consultants on the podcast, stated: “David requested related and smart questions, by no means in search of a performative edge to his journalism – the story and the visitor took centre stage, he simply enabled their tales to achieve the viewers in the simplest methods.”
On the podcast saying Knowles’s demise Nicholls famous how the “listeners’ engagement and humanity amid such darkness” had introduced Knowles “nice pleasure”. Francis Dearnley added that “his listeners included ambassadors and the heads of US departments, however he by no means modified. He was completely genuine and with out ego.”
After information emerged of Knowles’s demise from a suspected cardiac arrest, listeners started posting feedback in droves, many recording their emotions that he had develop into “like a member of the household”.
The Telegraph’s editor Chris Evans stated: “David was exuberant and modern. He was captivated with the reason for the Ukrainian individuals and their makes an attempt to repel the Russian aggressor. With out his enthusiasm, the Ukraine podcast wouldn’t have been half as profitable. He was additionally a mild, delicate man who impressed deep affection amongst his colleagues.”
The elder of two brothers, David Joseph Knowles was born on September 22 1991 in Ealing to Peter and Kaye Knowles; his mom is a former violinist with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, and a holder of the Diplôme Supérieur in Dalcroze Eurhythmics, who grew to become head of music at Gumley Faculty for Women, and his father is a broadcast journalist who has held senior positions on the BBC and is now a producer and correspondent for the US politics channel C-SPAN in Westminster.
All through his childhood David had worshipped at St Andrew’s United Reformed Church in Ealing, and after attending the Tiffin Faculty he took a First in theology at Durham College, the place he received the Jewish Research Prize. He additionally did an Erasmus 12 months at Strasbourg College, and took an MA in Biblical Research at Durham and an MA in Digital Journalism at Metropolis, College of London.
A gifted linguist, he was fluent in French and had studied six historic languages, notably Biblical Hebrew. When travelling in Ukraine he made some very weak Czech go a good distance.
Amongst David’s many and diversified childhood passions was the historian Richard Holmes’s BBC documentary collection Conflict Walks, which gave a touch of his later pursuits (he may even recite the script by coronary heart).
Intensely musical, he performed the viola (and later the mandolin), sang as a tenor with college choirs, and cherished summer season excursions to Europe with Ealing Youth Orchestra. Theatre was one other large focus of his youth: he acted in performs on the Questors Theatre in Ealing and carried out in Moira Buffini’s Silence with the Nationwide Youth Theatre.
Knowles carried out with the Durham Revue, a sketch comedy group, on the Edinburgh Fringe for 3 successive years: his annoying child penguin sketch had audiences in tears; and he directed memorable pupil theatre productions of The Bacchae and Dracula within the fortress of College School, Durham.
Household holidays have been spent visiting grandparents in Bolton and Grimsby, strolling the moors, and on the Hebridean Isle of Islay, staying together with his Aunt Jean in Laphroaig.
Knowles’s first job was producing social video for Mail On-line; then, nonetheless within the space of social media, he spent three years with the World Financial Discussion board in Geneva. For a kind of years, his mom Kaye, who was learning on the Institut Jaques-Dalcroze, joined him, and this was a cheerful time for each of them.
From there he moved to the Telegraph as Deputy Head of Social Media (later promoted to Head) and it was from that position that Ukraine: The Newest was born. He was later appointed Head of Audio Growth.
Knowles had a aptitude for friendship and is remembered for his expansive eccentricity and an endearingly juvenile type of silliness. One favorite impression was of a “curious and beguiling velociraptor”, as his household put it. He cherished doing voices – a Nineteenth-century aristocrat was one – and, to carry the temper of his 96-year-old grandma, Mary Knowles, of whom he took infinite care with visits and telephone calls, he used mimicry, zany faces and blowing raspberries.
He was additionally vulnerable to spontaneous gestures of generosity – corresponding to, after becoming a member of the Southbank Centre, taking out tickets for a dozen or extra live shows in a season in order that he may invite completely different associates each night time.
Exterior journalism his pursuits ranged from cricket (he was not superb, however cherished it a lot he arrange his personal crew, Larkhall Wanderers) to the historical past of the Napoleonic Wars – associates won’t be stunned to be requested who was their favorite normal in Napoleon’s military. He loved translating Hebrew texts, and had rediscovered an urge for food for taking part in Warhammer with outdated schoolfriends.
Ukraine: The Newest was shortlisted for the Innovation of the 12 months award on the British Journalism Awards in 2022 and in June this 12 months was named Finest Information Podcast on the Writer Podcast Awards.
David Knowles was in a relationship together with his producer, Adélie Pojzman-Pontay. They have been planning to marry and have a household collectively, and, together with his attribute joy-filled enthusiasm, Knowles had requested an eight-voice, double choir for the marriage.
Knowles can also be survived by his dad and mom, by his youthful brother Andrew, a civil servant on the Ministry of Justice, and by his grandmother.
David Knowles, born on September 22 1991, died September 8 2024
