‘She made the world safer’: Husband hails fearless broadcaster

Presenter John Stapleton has paid a moving tribute to journalist wife Lynn Faulds Woods, who he said had helped make the world a safer place.

Former Watchdog host Lynn, a fearless consumer champion who also urged people to speak out over health concerns, died aged 72 last month after a stroke caused by an immune disorder.

John, 74, said family had been allowed to stay with him despite coronavirus restrictions, to help him come to terms with the death of Glasgow-born Lynn.

He added that his wife, whom he’d been with for 50 years, showed signs something was wrong one Thursday evening last month just after the couple had joined neighbours to applaud NHS workers.

He said: “Lynn was clapping and chatting as enthusiastically as ever. We came back inside, watched a film, and at about 10pm she tried to get up from the sofa and collapsed.”

John persuaded her to call St Thomas’ Hospital, where she was being treated for antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), an immune disorder that raises the risk of blood clots, strokes and heart attacks.

Lynn was taken to hospital by ambulance and tests showed a blood clot on her brain.

John said: “She never regained consciousness. I kissed her. I held her hand and said: ‘Thank you for our wonderful life together and for all you’ve done’.

“I phoned our son Nick. He and his wife Lise raced over from their home in the East End and we were all there together when eight hours later, at midday on April 24, Lynn died.”

Lynn’s TV break came in 1983 when she was appointed consumer champion on TV-am. A year later she moved to the BBC and began presenting Watchdog, where she was joined by John, the couple becoming Britain’s best-known husband-and-wife presenting team.

John said: “She paved a path for many to follow. She made the world a safer place. What else could you want as an epitaph? If I could achieve half as much in my life, I’d be satisfied.”