ITV News journalist Emily Morgan has died, ITN has announced as tributes to the reporter poured in.
She passed away on Friday night after a short battle with lung cancer surrounded by her family.
Emily was the broadcaster's health and science editor, and played a key role in its coverage of the COVID pandemic.
Emily was ITV News Health and Science Editor and had worked for ITN for 23 years.
Reporting from behind the healthcare frontline, her work was described as 'instrumental' in exposing the pressure NHS workers were under.
ITN confirmed the news in a statement shared on Twitter.
The post read: "We are devastated at the passing of our remarkable colleague Emily Morgan. Emily was a hugely talented journalist and a much-loved friend and mentor to so many here. She will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with Emily’s family."
Chris Ship, the channel's royal editor was one of a string of people who paid tribute to Emily.
"She was such a beautiful person and a dear friend," he tweeted.
"As Health Editor, Emily was fearless in reporting Covid to the nation in 2020.
"Talented, kind, full of humanity. She was 45."
The editor of ITV Network News, Andrew Dagnell also paid a gushing tribute to Emily following her sad passing.
"Her reporting was instrumental in exposing the immense pressure and strain that NHS workers were under, and she became a trusted voice for the public during an unprecedented time," he said in a statement.
"Emily's passion for the role was evident in everything she did and her work was a constant reminder of why journalism matters. Her dedication to informing and educating our viewers will continue to inspire all those who were privileged to work alongside her.
"Our thoughts are with Emily's family. Emily was proud to be a journalist, but she was even more proud of her family. She adored them. We are sending them our love and support at this unthinkably difficult time.
"Emily was an exceptional journalist, a devoted mother and wife, and a true trailblazer in our field. Her friendship, her professionalism and her enormous contribution to our industry and to the public conversation will not be forgotten."
While NHS England gushed: "Everyone at NHS England deeply saddened to hear this terrible news.
"Emily was a brilliant journalist whose coverage of Covid in particular was exceptional. She will be hugely missed and our thoughts are with her colleagues, friends and, most of all, her family."
In 2021, Emily reflected on the challenges covering the pandemic saying: "It isn’t easy reporting on deaths, especially large numbers. What every death is not, is a statistic.
"Yet, with so many, the fear is each one gets added in with another and they become a blur of numbers."
"That is why it is so important to reflect on individual cases, speak to family and friends, use victims’ names, photos and memories. It is impossible to do this with every one but crucial to do it with as many as possible," she said.
Emily took great pride in her work, but she was most proud of her family, including her two young daughters.
She told many colleagues at ITV that she wanted to be remembered, not as a journalist, but as a mother, wife, sister, daughter and friend.
"They are the things that matter," Emily previously said.
Following the news of her sad death, Emily's colleague Catherine Jones also took to Twitter to pay tribute to her late friend.
"With sadness I am sharing awful news about my ITN colleague Emily Morgan," she wrote.
"We have both covered health news for many years, and I could always count on her on a professional and a personal level.
"A truly lovely individual; in an industry where most people have flaws, she had none."
Another colleague of Emily's, Lucrezia Millarini, tweeted: "What a privilege to have known, laughed with and worked with this wonderful woman. I'm so sorry she's gone.
"Our newsroom and our programmes will not be the same. Every bit of love to Emily's family. I can't imagine their loss right now."
Director of Journalism at BBC News, Jonathan Munro, added: "The death of Emily Morgan deprives us all of an intelligent, probing, empathetic journalist.
"An explainer and an analyst. A real talent. Hardly comparable, though, to the loss for her family which must be utterly heartbreaking."
Rachel Corp, Chief Executive of ITN also paid tribute, saying: "Emily played a pivotal role in ITV News for many years and her exceptional talent, unwavering commitment to the team and compassionate approach were evident to all of us."
"Emily’s impact extends to the wider ITN family; she devoted her energy and skills to ITN for over two decades. Those of us fortunate enough to have worked alongside her would agree that Emily cared deeply about everything she did, and her dedication was as clear behind the scenes as it was on screen.
"This is why her absence will also be felt by our viewers, not least given her courageous, calm and compassionate reporting during Covid-19. When our viewers were in lock-down, anxiously awaiting daily updates, it was Emily who was there for them - a trusted and familiar face, guiding them through complex scientific reports and data, and tackling misinformation and conspiracy theories"
"She was there on the frontline, speaking to patients and healthcare workers in hospitals and care homes, doing so much incredible work to shed light on the pressures faced by NHS workers and the impact of Covid on the vulnerable."
"Emily touched the lives of many with her knowledge, kindness and empathy – those she worked with, those she interviewed, those watching from home. She had so much to be proud of in her career, and in her life with her devoted family."
