Owen began his journalistic career on the Surrey Mirror in 1964 before moving to Fleet Street in 1968. He worked for the Evening Standard and the Daily Telegraph before spending seven years with the Financial Times. He then joined the magazine Now in 1979 as Deputy Business Editor, later becoming Business Editor.

In 1981 Owen switched to television reporting, joining the BBC in the North of England, covering general and industrial stories for both regional and national news and current affairs programmes.

ITN

Owen moved to ITN in 1984, as Channel 4 News' Business and Economics Correspondent. During the first Gulf War Nicholas presented the highly-acclaimed Midnight Special Programmes when they were launched on Channel Four. He also anchored The Parliament Programme, Channel Four's first daytime political series.

From 1994 to April 2000 Owen was Royal Correspondent for ITV News. In that capacity he played a major role in reporting on the death and funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. He compiled a book on her life entitled Diana — The People's Princess.

In 2003, Owen became the main presenter of the ITV Lunchtime News on ITV. In 2004, he was joined by Katie Derham on the programme, therefore he became a co-presenter. He contributed heavily to ITN's coverage of budgetary matters

Return to BBC

In October 2006 Owen took part in BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing, however, was voted off in the first week show on 7 October. Also in October 2006, he appeared on ITV Play's nightly game show The Mint and gave away the jackpot of over £130,000 to the winner.

The BBC Press Office announced in November 2006 that Owen has signed to BBC News as a presenter. Owen's last broadcast on ITV was the ITV Evening News on 7 February 2007, and he took up his BBC News post on 3 March 2007 BBC - Press Office - Nicholas Owen signs to BBC News 24. Owen regularly presents the Sunday 9am-1pm shift on the BBC News channel, as well as covering at other times during the week. He is also an occasional presenter of the BBC News at Six and regularly presents the BBC One Weekend Bulletins.

Personal life

Owen is married to newspaper reporter Brenda and lives with his wife in Surrey. He has four children - a son and daughter, stepson and stepdaughter - and two grandchildren. He has a passion for railway trains and has written a book on the definitive history of the trolley bus. He provides the voiceover on the Tramlink in Croydon, telling passengers where the tram is going, and what the next stop is.

In July 2002, Owen was diagnosed with kidney cancer, and he became an Honorary Patron of Kidney Cancer UK in 2003. About KCUK On 23 August 2007, Owen was a celebrity guest in an episode of the live television programme Doctor, Doctor broadcast on channel Five, in which he talked about his kidney cancer that was diagnosed when he was aged 55 years with the presenter and GP, Mark Porter. Owen explained that the cancer was found unexpectedly when he had a scan for abdominal pains, and that he had an operation to remove the diseased right kidney with the encapsulated tumour. He also said that no evidence of tumour recurrence was found at his recent five-year post-operative check.

Owen was among a host of celebrities, MPs and journalists duped into contributing to the Brass Eye special in 2001, attacking the media's coverage of paedophilia.

He is a close friend of Mike Neville, the former anchor of Look North for the BBC and North East Tonight for ITV Tyne Tees.

In September 2006 Owen became a Patron of the children's charity Hope for Children

Owen is a celebrity supporter for the British Red Cross