Jon Snow has said he hopes the news industry will be “a lot better than it was” when it emerges from the coronavirus crisis, but praised the media’s “structural” role in relaying key messages.

At 72, Snow is in the vulnerable category for Covid-19 risk and so has stayed at home since the UK went into lockdown on 23 March, with Channel 4 News continuing to advise that he works from home.

Snow was one of the first journalists to self-isolate after returning from Iran, which had an early outbreak, in February. He spent two weeks indoors out of precaution, but showed no symptoms.