Very sad news from BBC Northern Ireland: the death of one of its most distinguished and talented producers. This is Paul's obituary.


Paul Robinson, a legendary figure in journalism at the BBC in Belfast, has died at the age of 55 after suffering a heart attack.

Robbo, as he was affectionately known, began his career in weekly newspapers in his home town of Armagh, before moving to the News Letter and Belfast Telegraph and subsequently to the Beeb. He also worked in the US and in Dublin.  

Among his many job titles at the BBC were Presenter of the lunchtime radio programme Newsbreak, producer of Talkback, Editor of Radio News and Editor Televison News. More recently, he produced the multi Sony-award-winning Stephen Nolan Show. Stephen Nolan said: "There was nothing in journalism that he hadn't done before. As well as his experience, Paul also brought great human decency to the workplace. I feel enormously privileged to have worked with Robbo and to have learned from him."

Other former colleagues paid tribute to Paul as a man who inspired great loyalty because he gave unwavering support to those who worked for him. He was an inveterate music lover, and friends remember the day when Ulster politics would normally have led the local news bulletins, but Robbo chose instead to lead with the death of Roy Orbison.

Paul was hugely popular not just among his colleagues in Belfast, but also with visiting reporters and correspondents from London and elsewhere. His sense of humour and innate humanity won him friends across the political divide in Northern Ireland.  

His funeral packed the church of St Columbanus in Ballyholme, Bangor, Co Down, to overflowing.

Paul leaves his wife, Jane, and son, Ben, aged 17.