BBC newsreader George Alagiah left just £49k to wife and family in will

The late BBC newsreader George Alagiah left a modest £49,000 to his wife and family in his will. The esteemed News at Six presenter passed away on 24 July last year at the age of 67, following a ten-year battle with bowel cancer.

His will revealed that he had £49,387 to his name at the time of his death. This sum was bequeathed to his widow Frances Alagiah, who is the sole executrix of his estate.

The couple were married for 39 years and have two sons, Adam and Matthew. According to the BBC, which discloses the salaries of its highest-paid stars, Alagiah earned between £335,000 and £399,999.

These figures were released just two weeks before his passing. If his wife had predeceased him, Alagiah's will stipulated that his sister Miriam Christine Denington would become the guardian of his children, as reported by Needs To Know.

He also named his four sisters and sister-in-law as trustees of his estate, each receiving an equal share. The respected journalist and presenter requested that his body be cremated, reports the Mirror.

The will of George Maxwell Aligiah reads: "I appoint my wife Frances Alagiah to be Sole Executrix of this my will but if she shall have died in my lifetime or before proving my Will or shall renounce probate or be unable or unwilling for whatever reason to prove my will then I appoint as alternate Executors and Trustees of my Will my sister-in-law Helen Robathan and my sister Miriam Christine Denington and I declare that the person or persons who shall prove my will are hereinafter referred to as 'my trustees'."

"My trustees shall have the power to invest as freely as if they were beneficially entitled. My trustees shall have the power to insure any asset of my estate on such terms as they think fit and to pay premiums out of income or capital."

"To use any insurance money received to restore the asset or if this is not possible to apply it as if it were the proceeds of its sale."

"My trustees may use the income or capital of my estate for or towards the cost of maintaining or improving freehold or leasehold property forming part of my estate."

"My trustees shall have the power in exercising the statutory power of appointing new trustees to appoint a professional person or trust corporation at such remuneration and on such other terms as shall be agreed."

"The Last Will and Testament of Maxwell Alagiah was proved and registered before the High Court of Justice. The Administration of George's estate is granted by this court to the following Executor of Frances Alagiah."

"The application has stated that the gross value of the estate in the United Kingdom amounts to £49,387.00 and the net value amounts to £49,387.00."

The presenter, who was a familiar face on BBC News at Six since 2007, had been battling bowel cancer for nine years. George underwent 17 rounds of chemotherapy and five operations in 2014 after the disease spread to his liver and lymph nodes.

The father-of-two returned to work in April of the previous year following his treatment, attributing his job with "keeping energised and motivated". However, just six months later in October, he informed viewers that he needed to step back, stating, "It's back to the tough stuff" as he revealed the disease had returned.