IVAN Johnson, the founder of The Punch tabloid, died in hospital yesterday at 68 after suffering a heart attack.

Mr Johnson was rushed to Doctors Hospital after the heart attack yesterday morning, where he was put on life support but died yesterday evening.

In a Facebook post last night, The Punch said: “Rest In Peace Ivan Nicholas Johnson.”

Mr Johnson was a force in Bahamian media for decades and The Bahamas Press Club honoured him for his contributions in 2018 with the Pioneer Award for his newspaper publication.

His publication frequently drew the ire of politicians for stories and allegations published about them.

According to The Bahamas Press Club, he was educated at Queen’s College and at the Seaford Court Preparatory School at Malvern Link, Worcestershire.

Mr Johnson was a former professional, all-rounder, English first-class cricketer. During the English country cricket off-season winter months, he was employed as a trainee reporter at The Tribune.

The Bahamas Press Club wrote in 2018: “In October 1975, Johnson became a trainee journalist with Thomson Newspapers, owned by Lord Thomson of Fleet. He worked at the Hemel Hempstead Evening Post-Echo and studied at the Harlow College of Journalism in Essex. This training was followed by one year’s cadetship at Reuters.

“Johnson returned to Nassau in 1976. At The Tribune, two chief reporters had quit without warning. Johnson agreed to act as the newspaper’s chief reporter up to the 1977 general election.

Click here to read more at The Tribune