Veteran British broadcaster and journalist John Stapleton had as his wife Lynn Faulds Wood, another giant of television and public life.
Not only was their marriage a partnership, but it left a lasting legacy in consumer rights, TV journalism, and public health campaigns.
How They Met and Created a Partnership
Lynn Faulds Wood first met John Stapleton in 1971. She was then a part-time barmaid at a pub in Richmond, and teaching was her career. They had a common-interest and value-based relationship, and got married in 1977.
They have one child, son Nick Stapleton, born 1987. They became stronger as a personal couple, making their working relationships even stronger; together they became one of British television’s most recognized husband-and-wife couples.
Work Together: Watchdog and Beyond
Their biggest success was perhaps co-presenting the BBC consumer affairs series Watchdog from 1985 until 1993.
Lynn was most passionately committed to consumer rights, safety, and exposing hazardous products. John assisted her in the endeavor through reporting experience and narrative skill.
Their rapport and dedication made Watchdog a significant platform for ordinary citizens to challenge large business and corporations.
Lynn’s Advocacy and Health Battles
Lynn was not only a broadcaster, but a campaigner for public health. She was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 1991 but survived it and became heavily engaged in cancer awareness, patient rights, and health campaigning.
She co-founded the European Cancer Patient Coalition, also chairing it between 2003-2010, and worked to focus attention on diseases that were usually taboo.
Sadly, Lynn’s life was cut short in April 2020 when she suffered a stroke complicated by antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), a rare autoimmune disorder.
She died at the age of 72. John Stapleton recalled her positivity, her strength, and her impact—on their home life, on their work life, and on many lives that she had left her mark on.
Legacy of a Shared Life
Together, Lynn Faulds Wood and John Stapleton combined personal dedication with professional mission. Their 40-plus years of marriage were founded on mutual respect, common purpose, and public service.
Lynn played a part in forging much of Stapleton’s own career—not just by co-presenting shows, but by her courage, her campaigning, and refusal to shy away from uncomfortable realities. Even in death, her presence remains woven into Stapleton’s own work and public record
