Jon Snow’s 9 most memorable moments from Channel 4 News

It’s the end of a broadcast era as Channel 4 News’ Jon Snow is stepping down from the programme.

Snow has been a journalist since 1973, starting his career at Independent Radio News, and moving on to ITN three years later. In 1989, he made the transition to being the main presenter at Channel 4 News after being a foreign correspondent.

In a statement published by Channel 4, Snow said: “After three incredible decades on Channel 4 News, it is time to move on. I am excited by the many things I want to accomplish but I have to say I have enjoyed every minute of my time with the programme.

“It has brought me adventure, as well as sorrow in some of the stories that I have had to report and also joy in reporting others, but above all, it has brought me community in working with the most fantastic group of people who are bound in intellect, humour and understanding.”

He is planning on focusing on other projects for the channel, like in-depth documentaries and his other side interests.

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He has had some iconic moments in his 32-year span on the 7 pm news show.

Here are some of our favourites.

The time he took Matt Hancock to task over the shambles that was Brexit

Secretary of state, you know better than I do, that parliament is for once deeply representative of a country. It’s completely asunder. Nobody in the country knows what’s going on. Nobody in there knows what’s going on and you don’t even know what is going on inside the cabinet. The cabinet is at sea. The country is at sea. We are a laughing stock.

Do you remember when Brexit was the thing that wouldn’t go away? Now, it's a little thing called the coronavirus. Anyway, back in the olden days, Brexit was the thing that made the UK what Snow described as a “laughing stock” and he really summarised both Remainers and Leavers feelings.

The time he said he had “never seen so many white people in one place”

It’s been the most extraordinary day. A day which has seen … I have never seen so many white people in one place, it’s an extraordinary story. There are people everywhere, there are crowds everywhere

This comment got him into a lot of trouble with a record of complaints, a record that has since been defeated by Piers Morgan’s anger towards Meghan Markle in wake of the interview she did alongside her husband Prince Harry with Oprah.

2,644 complaints and an investigation later, we are still a little confused about how it's offensive to say that he’s never seen so many white people before.

In an apology issued by the broadcaster, they said “Jon has covered major events such as this over a long career and this was a spontaneous comment reflecting his observation that in a London demonstration of that size, ethnic minorities seemed to be significantly under-represented. We regret any offence caused by his comment”

The time he talked about getting high

I’ve worked in war zones but I’ve never been as overwhelmingly frightened as I was right then...

I felt as if my soul had been wrenched from my body. There was no one in my world. I felt I had lost all control and had only the vaguest awareness of who I was and what on earth I was doing.

I cascaded into a very, very, dark place, the darkest mental place I have ever been. I was frightened, paranoid, and felt physically and mentally wrapped in a dense blanket of fog. I lost all sense that I was being filmed by Channel 4.

Snow was a “guinea pig” of an NHS trial for a “Home Office-approved, NHS-supported trial of skunk” for It was all a part of Drugs Live, a Channel 4 documentary about illegal substances.

The time he was visibly moved by a Grenfell survivor’s testimony

When speaking to Gary Delaney about his experience of the tragic fire that killed 77 people living in a tower block in Kensington, he appeared to be moved to tears, showing that journalism does not need to be detached from the sad stories they are reporting.

The time Jon Snow met Jon Snow

You know nothing, Jon Snow

The time he did an impression of a Liverpool accent

Oh, I hope they take Moyes!

Everyone thinks they can do a Liverpool accent but Jon Snow definitely cannot. We bet yours is just as bad, to be honest.

The time he asked passers-by if they would be please quiet so he could interview Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Guys, can you shut up for just three minutes? Three minutes? I’ve got someone to speak to!

The perils of live broadcasting mean that things do not always go to plan, and it even more of a liability to do a live broadcast outside with the general public wandering by in central London and everyone wanting their 15 seconds of fame.

The times he used the Channel 4 News studio as his personal disco

Who doesn’t love a broadcaster who often applies the “dance like no one is watching” as his own personal mantra?

The time he met Jeremy Paxman

For Jon Snow’s idealism, there was always Jeremy Paxman’s cynicism, who presented Newsnight, the BBC’s flagship current events program, for 25 years.

This clip is brimming with easter eggs about Snow’s on departure and even a sing-song.