After leaving the BBC in 1972, and intending to return one year later
to the TV licence-funded BBC instead staying at ITN until 2004, he
became a news reporter after a short stint sub-editing. Suchet was a
news reporter at ITN for 12 years. He famously went to Afghanistan in
1979, dressed as businessmen to fool the mujahedeen who occupied the
country illegally. But, it backfired for John and his camera crew who
were then found out by the mujahedeen and almost were killed on the
spot. Neverless, he got an a world exclusive story, and went to
Afghanistan in 1981 and almost had the same fate.