We live in a dangerous world. And the stories of war and terrorism that fill our screens are brought to us by brave journalists who put their lives on the line. They will always face peril, but now they can work in much greater safety, thanks to the determination and dedication of one remarkable man.
Tony Loughran’s life has been all about risk – taking it, preventing it. He survived a tough childhood in working-class Liverpool, then joined the navy, where he excelled. Next came a career as an elite commando medic, a demanding role that required doctor-level training. He dealt with serious physical injury and a stint in Belfast left him with psychological scars.
His life changed when he took responsibility for safety and security at the BBC. In his years with the world-famous broadcaster, Mr D and D, Death and Destruction, as he became known, revolutionised the protective gear and strategies used by foreign correspondents and introduced ground-breaking training that has saved many lives. Among much else, he provided the security for the notorious Martin Bashir interview with Princess Diana and protected Panorama journalists in Northern Ireland.
Then came a new life in Australia and the establishment of his own security consultancy company, ZeroRisk International. The work is always challenging: investigating the deaths of well-known journalist John Schofield and cameraman Nazeh Darwazeh, escaping when he himself came extremely close to being captured in Kabul, advising media during the Lindt Café siege and getting people out of Afghanistan when the Taliban returned.
This page-turning, hard-to-put-down account of an extraordinary career is full of nail-biting excitement, engaging humour, compassion and brutal honesty. Once you read Zero Risk, the world will never seem quite the same again.
Tony Loughran is a global risk specialist, with over 30 years of international experience as a safety and security professional. Born in Liverpool in 1962, at 18 Tony joined the navy, as a medic, then became a commando medic in the Royal Marines. In 1991, he took on the exciting and demanding role of safety and security expert for the BBC. Among much else, he revolutionised the way in which journalists cover conflicts, pioneering state-of-the-art body armour, improving vehicles and developing hostile environment courses that have become obligatory, and life saving, for media personnel and others working in hazardous places. Since he moved to Australia in 2002, Tony’s own security consultancy company, ZeroRisk International, has continued to involve him in high-octane assignments and adventures all over the world, from Pakistan to Afghanistan and Ukraine.