Richard Arnold
Occupation: Journalist, Presenter (TV/Radio)
Dear Diary: why, oh, why has it taken me this long to meet - TV’s Richard Arnold, national treasure? Jennifer Aniston
‘You’re my leading man. For today. - ’Barbra Streisand‘
Sure honey, put your hands where ever you like. ’Dolly Parton‘
Richard Arnold is Harry Styles for women over 45’Woman’s Own
A firmly established favourite on the breakfast TV sofa, popular Good Morning Britain presenter Richard Arnold celebrates 21 years on the small screen this year - seen daily on ITV’s early morning offering in his role as Entertainment Editor.
From Streisand to Gaga, Buble to Tony Bennett, Richard has interviewed many of the world’s biggest stars in recent years, as well as anchoring hours of live TV since he first appeared on BBC2’s youth TV offering The Sunday Show back in 1995.
After two series, he started his long tenure at ITV on GMTV in 1997 before leaving the breakfast station back in 2010. He returned the summer of 2012 by popular demand and following two years on Daybreak is now installed ever weekday with Piers Morgan, Susanna Reid, Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway.
During his long stint at GMTV, he hosted The Richard Arnold Show for two summers, presented ITV’s live tea-time celebrity cook-off Soapstar Superchef alongside Nicki Chapman and three series of Challenge TV’s highest rated original commission to date, quiz show Take It or Leave It from the makers of Deal or No Deal.
TV credits include competing in the 2012 series of Strictly Come Dancing where the grace and favour of the voting public took him all the way to Wembley. He was also a quarter finalist in the first series of Celebrity Masterchef and has taken part in Celebrity Mastermind where his specialist subject was Dallas, the TV series.
In 2003, Richard co-hosted Living’s daily magazine show Loose Lips with Melinda Messenger clocking up over 160 shows, Psychic Live (20 shows) and the Will On Will and Grace audience with star Eric McCormack.
Other TV appearances include The Chase, Pointless Celebrities, Countdown, Tipping Point, Stars In Their Eyes, The Paul O’Grady Show, Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, Celebrity Are You Smarter Than A Ten Year-old, 71 Degrees North, I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here NOW! and competing in 2010’s Sports Relief ‘Let’s Dance…’ as Danny Zuko from Grease alongside Kate Garraway as Sandy during which they made that year’s final.
TV cameos ‘as Himself’ include ITV’s Footballers Wives and C4’s acclaimed drama Shameless. ITV’s Rock Rivals, BBC1’s Hustle and alongside Max Beesley in ITV drama Is This Love?
Films include 2011’s crime thriller Blitz with Jason Statham and David Morrissey - and this summer’s highly anticipated Ab Fab: The Movie - both as himself.
During his brief hiatus from morning TV from 2010/11, Richard hosted his own talk show on London’s LBC 97.3, taking him back to his roots in radio which began the early 90s as a contributor at BBC Radio Scotland, followed by three years at BBC Radio 5 Live alongside Eddie Mair. Richard also hosted his own daily and weekend radio shows on London station Liberty Radio for three years.
Richard writes weekly columns for Hello! (since 2010) and Woman’s Own magazine (since 2007) as well as contributing to The Sun, The Mail on Sunday, The Express, News of World and no end of magazine credits on matters TV, lifestyle and travel
He is a regular host of many charity events, fashion shows and awards ceremonies. His main corporate client is British Telecom, helping in recent years with their campaigns for Comic and Sport Relief, as well as hosting their Hyde Park Olympic coverage in 2012.
He lives in North London and has recently acquired a cockapoo called Clementine.
Pam Ayres
Occupation:Broadcaster, Entertainer, Poet
Pam Ayres has been a writer, broadcaster, and entertainer for over 40 years, and is one of the few authors who has had books in the Sunday Times bestseller charts in almost every decade since the 1970s. She is the author of several best-selling poetry collections, including The Works, With These Hands, Surgically Enhanced and You Made Me Late Again!. Many of her poems are in school textbooks around the world including the UK, USA, China, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, South Africa, Ireland and Singapore. Pam’s autobiography, The Necessary Aptitude, was the UK’s bestselling female autobiography of 2011.
In May 2018 The Last Hedgehog, was published by Picador, and within two weeks went to No. 1 in the Sunday Times Bestseller list. Beautifully illustrated by Alice Tait, the single poem sees our hero tell of all the terrible ends his family have come to at our own hands – and exactly what we can still do to keep them alive, and see them thrive once more.
Pam’s next poetry book, Up In The Attic, will be published by Ebury Books in September 2019.
Recent TV appearances have included BBC Springwatch, BBC Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, BBC Celebrity Mastermind, and one of the BBC1 TV series Women at War: 100 Years of Service, about Pam’s years in the Women’s Royal Air Force in the 1960s.
For BBC Radio, Pam has recorded six series of Ayres On the Air for BBC Radio 4, and she is a regular guest on Just A Minute. Also for Radio 4, Pam is one of the comparatively few guests who have appeared twice on Desert Island Discs, the first time in 1979, and again last year.
Pam has appeared three times for HM The Queen – at the Silver Jubilee Royal Variety Performance in 1977, at a Royal Gala Charity Reception at St. James Palace in 1996, when Pam, as the only entertainer, performed part of her solo stage show, and finally at Sandringham Women’s Institute in 2004, when the Queen attended in her capacity as President of the Sandringham WI. Subsequently, Pam was honoured to be awarded the MBE in Queen’s Birthday Honours of 2004.
“Pam Ayres is absolutely essential to British humour, reminding us all to be tickled by the small joys and ridiculousness of everyday life.” (Mail on Sunday, June 2018)
“I keep smiling, remembering moments performed by the incredible @PamAyres at @CurveLeicester last night. Laughed and cried in equal measure. What a woman.” (Jo Hayward, BBC Radio Leicester, review of Pam on 18 September 2018)
“From the moment that Pam Ayres walked onto the stage, she captivated her audience – of 1400 people – with humour, wit, and a perfect sense of timing……….. This session was one of my highlights of Hay Festival this year, because I laughed so hard that my stomach ached for hours afterwards and it is wonderful to witness a true craftswoman practice her art.“ (Hay Festival – May 2015)
Emma Barnett
Emma presents Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4, Monday to Thursday at 10-11am. It is the longest-running women's show in the world. During Emma's time it has become the most downloaded programme across the BBC.
In 2021 Emma entered the US TV market launching a weekly interviews programme called Emma Barnett Meets... on Bloomberg via its streaming platform, Quicktake and international TV channel. Each episode features one high profile guest who sits down with Emma to share their vision.
Emma has been named Speech Broadcaster of the Year at the Radio Academy Awards 2022 and Interviewer of the Year at the British Journalism Awards 2022. She is known for her warm and thorough interviewing style - and securing major exclusives, including most recently the first interview with Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian charity worker detained by the Iranian authorities for six years.
Previously Emma presented The Emma Barnett Show on BBC Radio 5 Live, for five years. It was a fast-paced daily three-hour programme, during which she interviewed the key figures shaping our times, from the Prime Minister to those would very much like to be....but often her very favourite conversations were with her listeners.
Until 2022, Emma presented the BBC's flagship current affairs TV programme Newsnight for three highly eventful political years.
She has also fronted the BBC's election coverage - hosting the marathon eight-hour official radio election programme in 2019 and BBC Question Time - Under 30s Election 2019 - as well as The Andrew Marr Show; Politics Live; Sunday Morning Live on BBC One; Have I Got News for You; The Pledge on Sky News and After the News on ITV.
Emma writes a weekend column for the i newspaper. Prior to her full-time broadcast career, she worked at The Daily Telegraph, where she was first technology and digital media editor and then created and edited its award-winning women's section.
In September 2019 Emma published her first book, Period. It's About Bloody Time. She loathes her period but there is something she loathes even more: not being able to talk about it. Freely, funnily and honestly.
As a live broadcaster, Emma is in her element hosting and talking to audiences at events.
Emma is a proud patron of Smartworks, a charity which helps economically disadvantaged women secure jobs through interview training and having the right outfit to make the best first impression.
Nicky Campbell
Nicky Campbell has won 6 Sony Gold Radio Awards. He has presented network radio BBC programmes for 30 years now starting off his Radio career as a colleague of among others Kenny Everett, Alan Freeman and John Peel.
He has presented on
Nicky has presented on various TV programmes over the years ranging from 'Top of the Pops' to 'Newsnight' and 'Panorama'. In 1988 he became the first and longest running host of the ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and went on to front the iconic BBC1 consumer show 'Watchdog' for 9 years.
Currently, he co-presents ITV's ground-breaking and BAFTA winning 'Long Lost Family' with Davina McCall and also on ITV, ‘Born Without Trace and ‘Missing in Action’. He has presented eleven series of the BBC's Sunday morning ethical and religious debate programme ‘The Big Questions’ and both series of the BAFTA nominated ‘Operation Live’ made by The Garden for Channel 5.
Nicky also made a series on adoption for ITV, ‘Wanted: A Family of My Own’. He presented a documentary in ITV's Perspectives strand on one of his passions 'Great American Love Songs' and still on a musical note, in December 2017, he appeared in ITV’s “All Star Musicals” performing ‘Razzle Dazzle’ from Chicago in front of a full house at the London Palladium.
Nicky Campbell has won countless Radio Awards over his 33 years on BBC Network Radio. In 2014 he was inducted into the Radio Academy Hall of Fame. While at Capital Radio and BBC Radio One in the Eighties his colleagues included Kenny Everett, Alan Freeman and John Peel.
He has co-hosted the multi-award winning ‘Five Live Breakfast’ show for 16 years with Victoria Derbyshire, Shelagh Fogarty and now Rachel Burden. He has interviewed every Prime Minister and Chancellor since Margaret Thatcher and covered World Cups and Olympic Games from Australia, Japan, South Korea, China, Germany, South Africa and a Panorama special from New York three days after 9/11.
His voiceover work goes from the hugely popular ‘My Story’ on CBeebies to the hit Channel 5 show ‘Bad Tenants, Bad Landlords.
Nicky's charity work is in Conservation and Adoption, campaigning against the Ivory trade and for Elephant welfare. He’s A Patron of ‘Born Free’ and ‘Adoption UK’. Adopted at 6 weeks old, his adoptive mother was a psychiatric social worker and father a map publisher In 2004 he wrote the acclaimed Blue-Eyed Son, ‘Story of an Adoption’, his account of tracing both his birth parents and finding extended families in Ireland. He is currently writing a book for Hodder {autumn 2020] on how his Dog ‘Maxwell’ has helped him make sense of his life.
His writing has appeared in many publications including the Daily and Sunday Mirror, Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, Guardian, Spectator, New Statesman and Observer.
Nicky is also a professional songwriter and composer. In 2009 he wrote the brilliantly reviewed swing album "Moonlights Back in Style" for Mark Moraghan on the famous Jazz label Linn Records. His second album, ‘We’re Just Passing Through’, was co-written with the singer, composer and comedian Kate Robbins. In Spring 2017 he wrote and released the single “Sacred Eyes”performed by Logan Wilson, Kit Morgan and the Sacred Eyes String Quartet in support of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya.
Nicky's great loves are his wife, four daughters, dogs Maxwell, Misty and Maisie and his guitar, piano and Ukulele. He was awarded the OBE in the Queen’s 2015 Birthday Honours for services to adoption and fostering.
Lachlan Goudie
Lachlan Goudie is an artist who exhibits regularly in London and New York. The scope of Lachlan’s work is broad, incorporating portraiture, still life and landscape painting. His canvasses have won numerous awards and in 2013 he was elected a member of the Royal Institute of Oil painters, in London. In addition to painting, Lachlan is also a writer and Arts broadcaster. In 2015 he wrote and presented the landmark series ‘The Story of Scottish Art’ for the BBC. The four episodes were critically acclaimed and Lachlan was nominated by the Royal Television Society Scotland for the ‘Onscreen personality of the year’ award.
Lachlan has written and presented several other documentaries for BBC television – ‘The Art of Witchcraft’ (2013), ‘Stanley Spencer: The colours of the Clyde’ (2014) and ‘Awesome Beauty: The Art of Industrial Britain’ (2017). Lachlan’s most recent films ‘Painting the Holy Land’ and ‘Mackintosh: Glasgow's Neglected Genius’ were broadcast on BBC1 and BBC4 in 2018. ‘Mackintosh: Glasgow's Neglected Genius’ was nominated in the best single documentary category at the Celtic Media awards, 2019.
Lachlan has been a judge across three series of BBC1’s ‘Big Painting Challenge’ and reprised this role on BBC1’s ‘Celebrity Big Painting Challenge’, 2018. He regularly contributes to the BBC World Service radio programme, ‘From our own Correspondent’ and has presented several concerts on BBC Radio 3.
Lachlan’s first book, ‘The story of Scottish Art’, will be published by Thames & Hudson in 2020. Lachlan’s writing is informed by his experience of working as an artist. He is a keen proselytiser for the value of technique and craft in contemporary art and was schooled in painting by his father, the artist Alexander Goudie. The wonder of art: its power to colour and change people’s lives fascinates Lachlan. It lies at the heart of his work as a painter, writer and broadcaster. Lachlan was born and grew up in Glasgow, Scotland, before studying English at Christ’s College, Cambridge and Fine Art at Camberwell College of Art in London.
You can follow Lachlan on Twitter @lachlangoudie
Michael Grade
Michael Grade has had a long career in broadcasting, encompassing London Weekend Television, the BBC, ITV, as well as over nine years as Chief Executive of Channel Four Television.
In May 2004 he was appointed Chairman of the BBC, succeeding Gavyn Davies, resigning in November 2006 when his appointment as Executive Chairman of ITV was announced, a post he relinquished in 2009.
Michael Grade was non-executive Chairman of Pinewood and Shepperton Film Studios for 16 years.
He is non-executive Chairman of Infinity Creative Media, of Gate Ventures plc and of the Production Company Twelve Town. He is also non-executive Chairman of Reach for Entertainment, a Media and Entertainment Marketing Company. He is a non-executive Director of the One Media IP Group, a digital content provider exploiting intellectual property rights around music and video.
Michael Grade is co-founder of the GradeLinnit company, which produces for the theatre.
He is Chairman of the Arora Group’s Heathrow Expansion Advisory Board. In January 2011 he became the Conservative Peer, Lord Grade of Yarmouth.
Paul Jackson
Occupation: Broadcaster, TV Executive
From March 2009 to March 2012, Paul Jackson was CEO at Eyeworks UK. He then worked extensively in China, consulting for many national broadcasters and acting as EP on The Gadget Show for Shenzhen TV and The West You Don’t Know for CCTV. He acted for three years as Creative Director for Houghton Street Media in Beijing. He was also part of a team from The Format People who set up a new network in Mongolia.
Paul executive produced the last two series of BENIDORM for Tiger TV, a series he commissioned when he was controller of Entertainment at ITV Until December 2008 Paul was ITV’s Director of Entertainment and Comedy, commissioning and overseeing shows such as Britain’s Got Talent, X Factor, Benidorm and Ladies of Letters. Before that he was working as Granada’s Chief Executive Officer in America (where he executive produced Hell’s Kitchen, Nanny 911 and Celebrity Fit Camp amongst others) and previously he worked in Australia as Chief Executive Officer of Granada Productions.
He went to Australia from the BBC where he held the role of Controller of Entertainment and Comedy, responsible for five entertainment and comedy departments working across television, radio and online.
In his production career, Paul produced and or directed a raft of entertainment and comedy shows for most UK Broadcasters, including Young Ones, Red Dwarf, Saturday Live, Girls on Top, The Generation Game and Blankety Blank.
He was the founding Chair of Comic Relief and one time Chair of the Royal Television Society.
Paul was the presenter of BBC Radio 4's long-running series Britain in a Box and The Real Comedy Controllers.
He has just completed working as Executive Producer’ on the recent very successful theatre tour, Benidorm Live.
Aled Jones
Aled Jones has had an extraordinary career over the past three decades. He is the original crossover star and has sung for the Pope and the Royal Family, has received an MBE, released over 30 albums, with over 10 million album sales and counting and has over 40 Silver, Gold and Platinum Discs.
After beginning his career at the age of 12, Aled became one of the world’s most successful boy sopranos, releasing 12 hit albums in 4 years with the defining moment being ‘Walking in the Air’, the hit song from the animated film The Snowman.
As a broadcaster, he has forged an extensive career, having worked for BBC Radio 2 and 3, and BBC Radio Wales. Aled also hosts the Classic FM Sunday Breakfast Show and has become a popular favourite on the station and enjoyed his own magazine show ITV Weekend.
Aled continues to record and perform alongside his radio and TV career. One Voice reached no.3 position in the UK Official Album Chart in 2016 – selling more units in the first week of sales than former One Direction’s Zayn Malik and held the no.1 spot on the Classical Chart for 14 weeks - gaining silver BPI status.
Later that year One Voice at Christmas shot to no.1 in the Classical Chart, selling over an impressive 60,000 units during these 4 weeks and making One Voice and One Voice At Christmas the 2 top selling classical albums of 2016 in the UK.
Aled’s successful trip to Australia earlier in 2017 saw him secure a No 1 with One Voice. This was followed up later in the year with an Australian Tour where Aled secured another top spot in the Australian charts with One Voice At Christmas.
Not content with international success, Aled rounded off 2017 with the final installment of his One Voice album trilogy – One Voice: Believe, going straight to No 1 in the Classical Charts back at home in the UK.
One Voice: Believe was a collection of spiritual classics and saw Aled duetting with his younger self – man and boy, but also featured a few special surprises: for the very first time, the Classic FM presenter was joined by his 12-year-old son Lucas, to duet on one of Aled’s favourites hymns, The Lord is My Shepherd, arranged by Howard Goodall. An incredibly tender and heartfelt rendition brought this beautiful trilogy to a stunning finale.
Australia released One Voice/Believe in July this year and boasted a triumphant chart week as One Voice: Believe rapidly climbed up to No. 5 in the Overall Physical Albums Chart. It made it to the Top 20 of the Overall Albums Chart before its digital release and 18 weeks later broke all records as it continued its reign at No 1 in the Classical Chart.
Before boarding a flight to Australia in September to embark upon an extensive tour Aled conquered his fears by ‘walking in the air’ on the wing of a plane for Classic FM Global’s Make Some Noise charity.
In November 2018 Aled and Russell Watson released a stunning new album together, In Harmony a beautiful collection of hymns, arias and popular songs which entered the UK album charts at No 8. They will be touring the UK together in September and October 2019.
Eddie Mair
Eddie Mair is, by his own account, one of Britain’s most beloved broadcasters.
Born in Dundee, Scotland, he has worked in radio all his adult life. From the foothills of commercial radio in his hometown, through the sunlit uplands of the BBC in Scotland, he has reached the peaks of his profession, with BBC network radio in London. And he’s never afraid to work a metaphor beyond endurance.
In addition he’s appeared on most of the BBC’s TV channels, including ones that are no longer on TV. He witnessed the handover of Hong Kong and once asked Arnold Schwarzenegger a question –though he takes no responsibility for either.
For twenty years he was at the helm of Radio 4’s PM: a nightly news round-up that meant Eddie worked for just one hour a day. He moved to LBC in September 2018 to host his own afternoon show.
Whether he’s interviewing politicians, getting people to share their personal experiences, or just imparting his favourite zesty chicken recipes, Eddie is never happier than when he is at the microphone. Except when he is at the microphone with a large martini.
In truth, his neediness is an irritation to everyone who knows him and if you buy his book he might get out of their hair.
Eddie’s other work, as a humanitarian and tireless, secret worker for charity is not mentioned here. His diaries, A Good Face For Radio, were published in November 2017.
Praise for Eddie Mair
Voted the UK’s favourite radio voice in a Radio Times poll
‘Broadcasting is all about tone and Eddie Mair, PM's regular host, is its greatest asset’ Miranda Sawyer, Observer
‘There is not, I regret to say, a woman presenter to match the wit, bite, invention and editorial weight of PM’s Eddie Mair. Now I think of it, there’s no man, either’. Gillian Reynolds, Daily Telegraph
‘The BBC likes to talk about journalistic excellence and a tradition of creativity, but really it is an academy for stars. And after Eddie Mair’s careful pinioning and dissection of Boris Johnson on Sunday’s ‘The Andrew Marr Show’, there is a feeling out there that a new one has just graduated’ Leo Benedictus, Guardian
‘I thought Eddie Mair’s interview was one of the most disgusting pieces of journalism I’ve listened to for a very long time. The BBC sank about as low as it could.’ Boris Johnson’s dad, 2013
Paul Martin
Paul Martin has been the popular presenter of FLOG IT! Since 2002; indeed the series had its 1000th episode in 2016.
Paul was discovered when he was interviewed about his passion for oak furniture by a team from BBC Bristol. This was the extent of his previous television experience! The team was so impressed by his natural confidence in front of the camera that he was signed up immediately to present the BBC daytime antiques show.
Paul owned an antique shop specialising in 17th & 18th century English and Welsh oak furniture until his television commitments meant that he could not give the business enough of his time. He is obsessed with beautiful furniture and is most eloquent when talking about the look, feel andsmell of wood.
Paul travelled around the UK filming FLOG IT! which meant he was in and out of auction houses and meeting craftsmen all the time. He says “I have learned so much. Meeting people in the antiques trade or people who make their living by skills learned over decades is always a treat.”
Paul was educated at Falmouth Grammar School in Cornwall and studied art and woodwork at Falmouth College. He spent two years as a scenic painter on film sets at Pinewood Studios. From the age of 25 he ran a pitch on Portobello Road and participated in various shop-share schemes. Later Paul worked as an antiques props stylist for magazines like Marie Claire and New Woman, and designed antique sets for TV shoots for the Clothes Show and Granada TV.
Paul enjoys drumming and in the early 90’s played in rock bands like `The Quire Boys’ and the ‘Dogs D’Amour’. He still loves to play in local jazz and blues bands.
He has presented two series of the BBC1 prime-time series BRITAIN’S HIDDEN HERITAGE, THE MANOR REBORN also for BBC1, and PAUL MARTIN’S HANDMADE REVOLUTION- a search for Britain’s brightest and best amateur designer-makers - for BBC2. He has also presented A HISTORY OF WALLPAPER for BBC4 and the ITV series I NEVER KNEW THAT ABOUT BRITAIN.
He has presented two series of STREET AUCTION and MAKE ME A DEALER. His quiz show CURIOSITY was recently broadcast.
Paul has an art and antiques gallery in The Cotswold market town of Corsham, The Table Gallery (please add link Jos)
Paul’s book Paul Martin: My World of Antiques was published in November 2018. In the book Paul reveals hitherto untold stories of fantastic artefact finds, and tells us about the key to success in trading antiques
Paul lives in Wiltshire with his wife and two young children who feature regularly, together with their smallholding, in the BBC1 daytime series COUNTRYFILE DIARIES.
Trevor McDonald
Biography
Sir Trevor McDonald OBE was born and educated in Trinidad in the West Indies where his career in the media began, first as a radio reporter, news presenter and sports journalist. On his first major assignment there, he was sent to London (1962) to report on talks at Marlborough House which culminated in setting a date for Trinidad's Independence.
Sir Trevor came to London in August 1969 to work as a Producer in the BBC Overseas Regional Service at Bush House in the Aldwych. He went on to produce Current Affairs programmes for the BBC WORLD Service and in that capacity worked on the initiation of a number of shows like THE WORLD TODAY which are still part of the BBC World Service schedule.
In 1973 he joined ITN as a General Reporter. His first major assignment was in Northern Ireland where he covered the Province's 'troubles' for more than a decade. He also reported from Dublin, Rome, Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg on negotiations about the terms of Britain's membership and earliest days of the then Common Market - now the EU.
Covering sport and politics Sir Trevor travelled to Argentina, Australia and the West Indies before becoming Diplomatic Correspondent and Presenter of Channel Four News in 1982. In that capacity he reported from every Continent, covering events and conducting interviews in Egypt, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, India, Pakistan, Japan, New Zealand, Mexico, South Africa, the Soviet Union and Hong Kong. During this time he also worked extensively in the United States reporting on the unfolding events at the United Nations during the Falklands War, from New York and from Washington, as well as covering a number of Presidential and Congressional Campaigns. Sir Trevor reported on Soviet Communist Party Conferences from the time of President Brezhnev and returned to Moscow and to Washington to report on East West Summit meetings, prominently among them... those between Reagan and Gorbachev. His coverage of the ' people power ' Philippine Elections in 1985 won a BAFTA Award for Channel Four News.
When not working abroad, Sir Trevor began his career as an ITN Presenter. He anchored every ITN News programme - from what used to be the News at One, the News at 5.40 and 6.30 to the flagship and award winning News At Ten. And not just from London, but from news locations around the world. He became Diplomatic Editor in 1982 and in February 1990, after several visits to Southern Africa, went back to Johannesburg to report on Nelson Mandela's release and to do the first British Television interview with the ANC leader for ITN. In November of that same year, just before the start of the first Gulf War, he did the first and still the only British television interview with former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
In the ensuing years at ITN, Sir Trevor conducted the most important television interviews of his time: with Libyan President Colonel Gaddafi, with the former PLO leader Yasser Arafat, with President Bill Clinton, and Secretary of State Colin Powell along with a number of American Presidential candidates and Congressional leaders.
Sir Trevor became the first sole Presenter of News At Ten in 1992 and anchored the Late Evening News until December 2005. By then he had received more awards than any other news broadcaster in Britain. His awards include the Richard Dimbleby Award for Outstanding Contribution to Television from BAFTA, the Royal Television Society Gold Medal for his Outstanding Contribution to Television News (1998), the National Television Award for Outstanding Commitment to Television (2003) presented to him on live television by the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and the Royal Television Society’s Judges’ Award (2005). He was named Newscaster of the year in 1993, 1997 and 1999 and has regularly topped the polls as the most authoritative and trustworthy news presenter. He has received Honorary Degrees from at least eight Universities
From 1999 to December 2007 Sir Trevor presented ITV's bi weekly flagship Current Affairs programme, Tonight, during which time he interviewed President Bush on two occasions and political figures like Tony Blair, Secretary of State Rice, Hilary Clinton and other senior politicians. In January 2008 Sir Trevor returned to ITV News, for one year, to co-present the re-launched News at Ten.
He has presented many documentaries for ITV1; including Secret Caribbean, Secret Mediterranean, The Mighty Mississippi, Inside Death Row, Women Behind Bars, The Mafia and Mafia Women, Death Row: The New Arrivals, James Bulger: A Mother’s Story, Martyn Luther King, Sir Trevor McDonald: Return to South Africa, To Catch A Serial Killer and Fred and Rose West: the Real Story with Trevor McDonald. More recently: Trevor McDonald’s Indian Train Adventure and Britain’s Greatest National Treasures
In May 2018 Sir Trevor co-presented Invitation to A Royal Wedding a documentary on ITV1 about Royal weddings over the years. Sir Trevor has done charitable work for the Prince's Trust, the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Playing Fields Association, Sight Savers, the Royal National Institute for the Blind, the Royal Commonwealth Society for the Deaf (which became know later as Sound Seekers), Macmillan Cancer Research and the Leukaemia Trust. He serves as Patron, Chairman, President or Vice President in a number of other charitable organisations including National Children's Homes, the Shooting Star Children's Hospice, the Friends of Barnes Hospital and De Paul Trust. He has also helped to promote the work of St John Ambulance, and organisations dealing with awareness of the problems surrounding Sickle Cell, Autism and homelessness among young people.
He travelled to many parts of the country to speak in his capacity as Chairman of the Better English Campaign under the last Conservative Government, was co chair of a Nuffield Foundation Inquiry into the Teaching of Foreign Languages in British Schools for which he was honoured by the French and German Governments, has been involved in a number of campaigns to encourage young children to read more widely, and speaks regularly to schools and colleges. He has also held the position of Chancellor of London South Bank University. Sir Trevor was awarded the OBE in 1992 and was awarded a Knighthood in 1999. His autobiography AN IMPROBABLE LIFE will published in October in his 80th year
Jeremy Paxman
Jeremy Paxman is an award-winning journalist, author and television presenter. Beginning his career covering The Troubles in Northern Ireland for three years, he then spent 8 years reporting from around the world for the BBC, before becoming anchorman of the BBC’s nightly news analysis programme, Newsnight in 1989, a post he held for 25 years. He has been chairman of University Challenge since 1994.
In May 2015 and June 2017, he anchored Channel 4's Election Night coverage. He is the author of numerous documentaries and documentary series – on the history of the British Empire, on the poet Wilfred Owen, on Victorian art, on Churchill’s funeral and on the effect of the First World War on Great Britain.
In the last few years, he has presented 3 current affairs documentaries for BBC1 Paxman on Brussels: Who Really Rules Us?, Paxman on Trump v Clinton: Divided America and Trump’s First 100 Days. In February 2019, his two-part documentary PAXMAN ON THE QUEEN’S CHILDREN was broadcast on Channel 5.
His 2014 one-man show PAXO at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe was a critically acclaimed sell-out.
Jeremy Paxman was born in Yorkshire in 1950, educated at Malvern College in Worcestershire and received his degree (in English) from St Catharine's College, Cambridge. He is an honorary fellow there, and a Fellow by Special Election at St Edmund Hall, Oxford. He holds honorary doctorates from Leeds, Bradford and the Open University.
He is the author of ten books, including The English - Portrait of a People; The Political Animal; On Royalty; The Victorians; Empire - What Ruling the World Did to the British. Great Britain’s Great War was published in October 2013. His memoirs A Life in Questions was published in October 2016. He is currently writing a book about coal.
He is a columnist at SAGA Magazine.
His charitable interests include homelessness, mental health and education. In his spare time, he goes fly-fishing and is the editor of Fish, Fishing and the Meaning of Life. He doesn’t go anywhere without Derek, his rescue dog.
Tim Rice
Occupation: Author, Broadcaster, Writer
TIM RICE has worked in music, theatre and films since 1965 when he met Andrew Lloyd Webber, a fellow struggling songwriter. Rather than pursue Tim’s ambitions to write rock or pop songs they turned their attention to Andrew’s obsession – musical theatre. Their first collaboration (lyrics by Tim, music by Andrew) was based on the life of Dr. Thomas Barnardo, the Victorian philanthropist, The Likes Of Us. Their next three works together were much more successful – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita.
Tim has since worked with other distinguished popular composers such as Elton John (The Lion King, Aida), Alan Menken (Aladdin, King David, Beauty and the Beast), Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (Chess), and Stuart Brayson (From Here To Eternity). He also wrote two songs with the late Freddie Mercury, featured on Freddie’s album Barcelona with Montserrat Caballé.
He has recently written new material with Sir Elton for the 2019 release of The Lion King as he did with Alan Menken for the 2017 release of Beauty and the Beast.
Tim founded his own cricket team in 1973, which played its 700th match in 2019, and was President of MCC, founded in 1789, in 2002. He was appointed President of the London Library in 2017 in succession to Sir Tom Stoppard. He is a Trustee of Sunderland FC’s Foundation of Light and a Life Vice-President of the schools/cricket charity Chance to Shine. He is a regular broadcaster/presenter on BBC Radio 2, drawing on his extensive knowledge of the history of popular music since Elvis was a lad. He has won several awards*, mainly for the wrong thing or for simply turning up.
*if you need the details, leading awards include 3 Oscars, 4 Tonys, 5 Grammys, 1 Emmy (thus an EGOT). Hollywood Walk of Fame Star. Songwriters Hall of Fame. Lotsa UK awards notably 13 Ivor Novello Awards and British Songwriters Academy Fellowship.
Stuart Rose
Lord Rose
Stuart Rose has worked in retail since 1971 when he joined Marks & Spencer as a management trainee.
After holding a number of senior positions he then moved to the Burton Group in 1989 becoming Chief Executive of the Multiples Division in 1997. He was subsequently CEO of Argos plc and Booker plc, returning to M&S as CEO in 2004.
He became Chairman and CEO in 2006 before leaving the group in 2010. He is currently Chairman of Ocado plc, Zenith Automotive, FatFace and MAF Retail, and a senior advisor to HSBC.
He was Chairman of the British Fashion Council from 2004 – 2008 and Business in the Community from 2008 – 2010.
He was knighted for services to the retail industry and corporate social responsibility in 2008 and created a life peer in 2014.
John Sergeant
Occupation: Author, Broadcaster, Journalist
John Sergeant is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster, as well as a much talked-about contestant on STRICTLY COME DANCING, a regular contributor to the BBC's ONE SHOW, the first host of the comedy panel game ARGUMENTAL on the Dave Channel, and presenter of the ITV series JOHN SERGEANT'S TOURIST TRAIL and the BBC’s series on the history of the Indian Railways TRACKS OF EMPIRE. John was the voice of ITV’s popular GRIMEFIGHTER series, presented a mock documentary for BBC2 JOHN SERGEANT MEETS RAB C NESBITT, and an ITV documentary on Father Christmas, THE SANTA FILES. In 2011 John presented a programme in which he flew a Spitfire, BRITAIN'S FLYING PAST, and also a documentary on the only Vulcan bomber still airborne in the BBC's BRITAIN’S HIDDEN HERITAGE.
In 2012, John presented the BBC2 series BRITAIN'S FIRST PHOTO ALBUM, based on the photographs of Francis Frith, the great Victorian photographer. More recent documentaries, for ITV, include SERGEANT ON SPIKE, a celebrating the genius of Spike Milligan, and a profile of the new royal borough of Greenwich ROYAL GREENWICH. He also presented 3 documentaries for BBC2’s BRITAIN’S FLYING PAST about the Spitfire, the Sea King helicopter and the Lancaster Bomber. He narrated ITV's BOMBER BOYS documentary about the WW2 bombing campaign and was invited to read a poem at the ceremony to unveil the Bomber Command memorial in London. John was also one of the few BBC commentators on the Jubilee River Pageant not to be criticised.
In 2014, he presented BARGING THROUGH BRITAIN for ITV, a series about Britain's canals. The second series was transmitted in the summer of 2016.
John appeared in a three-part series based on a sailing trip along the Scottish sea lochs. He took part in the TV version of JUST A MINUTE and was the host for the return of a new series of YES PRIME MINISTER.
In July 2018 John was one of the presenters of POMPEII’S FINAL HOURS: NEW EVIDENCE on Channel 5. In November 2018 John and his old friend and colleague Michael Buerk, both keen sailors, sailed around Britain for Channel 5 in BRITAIN BY BOAT.
A guest on a wide range of radio and TV programmes, including HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU, ROOM 101, QI, QUESTION TIME, and ANY QUESTIONS, John is also a frequent after dinner speaker and host of awards ceremonies. He spent six years touring his one-man show "An Evening with John Sergeant".
John has written two books which made it to the best seller lists: his memoirs, GIVE ME TEN SECONDS and an account of the last part of Baroness Thatcher’s career, “MAGGIE: HER FATAL LEGACY.
John’s first BBC television appearance was in 1966 a few months after graduating from Magdalen College, Oxford where he studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics. He took part in Alan Bennett’s comedy series, ON THE MARGIN which won a Royal Television Society award for Comedy of the Year. John then became a journalist, training on the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo before joining the BBC staff in 1970. He reported from 25 countries and he covered a number of conflicts, including the Vietnam War and the troubles in Northern Ireland, before settling down at Westminster. He was chief political correspondent of the BBC for 12 years. His most famous broadcast was with Margaret Thatcher outside the British Embassy in Paris in 1990 when she heard the devastating result of the leadership contest with Michael Heseltine which would lead to her resignation as prime minister two days later. After thirty years with the corporation, he moved to ITV where he was political editor of ITN from 2000 to 2003. Since then he has worked as a freelance, taking on a variety of roles, including becoming president of the Johnson Society of Lichfield.
John has been married for over 40 years and lives with his wife, Mary, in Ealing. They have two grown up sons, both of whom work in television.
Alastair Stewart
Alastair Stewart presents a range of news and current affairs programmes on the ITV network including “THE ITV EVENING NEWS” and "THE ITV LUNCHTIME NEWS". In April 2010, he moderated the first ever live TV debate between the Party Leaders, ahead of the General Election. More recently Alastair has moderated debates on Channel 5 on the subjects of Brexit and Knife Crime.
His career started in 1976 with ITV's Southern Television, in Southampton. He was a reporter, industrial correspondent, presenter and documentary maker. He recorded one of the last interviews with Lord Mountbatten, and even spent six weeks in Ford Open prison to make a half hour documentary.
Alastair joined ITN as an industrial Correspondent in 1980 and had his first taste of newscasting one year later.
He originally joined New at Ten in May 1989 from ITN’s News at 5.40, which he presented from September 1986. Before that, he spent three years as a presenter and reporter with ITN’s CHANNEL FOUR NEWS. He also presented ITN’s “THE PARLIAMENT PROGRAMME” for Channel Four. He is one of the very few people who has, at one time or another, presented all of ITN’s main news programmes.
In 1990 he was appointed ITN's Washington Correspondent, an assignment abruptly interrupted by the first Gulf War. He was sent to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, to anchor ITN’s coverage. He presented News at Ten, live from Saudi Arabia, for two months. At the end of February 1991, Alastair was the first British television reporter to broadcast, live, from the liberated Kuwait City. He presented News at Ten from Kuwait for a week before returning to the UK.
Alastair subsequently presented Scottish TV’s special coverage of the gulf War Service of Thanksgiving, attended by HM the Queen, for the ITV network.
Away from 1TN, in 1994, he presented ALASTAIR STEWART’S SUNDAY for BBC Radio 5 before moving to host ALASTAIR STEWART’S SUNDAY PROGRAMME for GMTV which he presented until July 2001. From 1993 until 2009, he presented ITV London's “LONDON TONIGHT”.
He returned to ITV News as an anchor on the ITV NEWS CHANNEL for the 2003 Iraq War, the channel’s Local Government Elections coverage and a special programme on the European Single Currency. He went on to present his own news and interview strand "LIVE WITH ALASTAIR" for which he won the Royal Television Society's Presenter of the Year Award in 2005.
ITN’s network coverage of the 1992 Budget saw the ninth year of Alastair’s involvement in the presentation of this special programme for ITV. It was his fifth year anchoring the programme having taken the role from Sir Alastair Burnet. Since his return to ITV News, he has been a regular presenter of Budget programmes.
Alastair anchored the 2010 General Election for ITV having co-anchored the 1987 General Election with Sir Alastair Burnet, the 1992 General Election with Jon Snow; and the 1997 and 2005 General Elections with Jonathon Dimbleby.
He has presented many of ITN’s other special programmes on the ITV network including the State Openings of Parliament, numerous by-elections, State Visits and for the Royal Weddings of the Prince and Princess of Wales and Duke and Duchess of York. Alastair provided live coverage of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster as the details of the tragedy unfolded. A two minute news-flash became an unscripted, one hour special programme.
He also anchored, with Sandy Gall, ITN’s award winning coverage on the night of the bombing of the PanAm jet over Lockerbie; he also presented ITV’s network coverage of the Memorial Service for the victims. He anchored the ITV Network coverage of the funeral of Pope John Paul II and of the resignation of Tony Blair. In July 2006, at the out-break of the Israeli-Lebanon conflict, he presented all three ITV News network bulletins, for five days, from Beirut.
He jointly presented “CITIES AT WAR” and LEGACY OF WAR” with the late Walter Cronkite for ITV and America’s Public Service Broadcasting network.
Alastair has presented “UNBELIEVABLE MOMENTS-CAUGHT ON CAMERA”” for ITV since 2014.
Alastair Stewart studied economics, politics and sociology at Bristol University and was Deputy President of the National Union of Students, 1974-76.
In the charity world and voluntary sector, Alastair is Vice President of both ACTION FOR CHILDREN and HOMESTART. He is also a Patron of the LORD MAYOR TRELOAR COLLEGE for disabled students; the disablism charity SCOPE; the mental health charity SANE; the medical research charity, HOPE; the CRIMESTOPPERS TRUST; KIDS4KIDS; the brain tumour SAMANTHA DICKSON RESEARCH TRUST; JUST A DROP; the LOOMBA TRUST; and MOMO HELPS, Mo Mowlam's charitable trust; he is a vice Patron of THE ZITO TRUST and THE MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION and an Ambassador for INVESTORS IN PEOPLE, CRISIS – the homeless charity - and CARE INTERNATIONAL.
Alastair is a Governor of Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication. He is a former Trustee of the Royal Air Force Museum. In 1998, he was the subject of “THIS IS YOUR LIFE”. In 2002, he won “THE FACE OF LONDON” award from THE ROYAL TELEVISION SOCIETY and, in 2005, was the THE ROYAL TELEVISION SOCIETY’S “PRESENTER OF THE YEAR”.
In 2006, he was awarded the OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for his work in broadcasting and for charity. In 2008, he was made an Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) by the University of Bristol. In 2010, he was made an Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) by the University of Plymouth.
Alastair is involved with a large number of corporate events each year and gets multiple repeat requests. He is acknowledged to be one of the most accomplished conference hosts/moderators on the circuit.