Personal Life
Owen is married to newspaper reporter Brenda. The couple live in Reigate, and have four children and seven grandchildren. In 2012 he published his autobiography "Days Like This".
In July 2002, Owen was diagnosed with kidney cancer, and he became an Honorary Patron of Kidney Cancer UK in 2003. 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 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. Since the 1980s he has been a supporter of the charities Cancer Research UK and ActionAid, taking part in various fundraising events for these organisations.
Owen has a passion for railways, and has written books both the Brighton Belle and the history of the trolleybus. Owen provides the voiceover on the Tramlink in Croydon, telling passengers where the tram is going, and what the next stop is. Owen is a Vice Patron of the Bluebell Railway's project to extend the line towards East Grinstead, and in November 2008 was the public face of the launch to remove 96,000 cubic metres (3,400,000 cu ft) of domestic waste from Imberhorne cutting.
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