Carol Barnes
Encyclopedia
Carol Lesley Barnes was a British
television
newsreader
and broadcaster. She worked for ITN from 1975 to 2004.
, and attended St Martin-In-The-Fields High School for Girls
, Tulse Hill
, London. She did not like school, and left at the age of 16, doing a number of jobs for a year, before leaving to study for A levels at a local polytechnic. She then gained a BA in English, French, and Spanish at the University of Sheffield
, followed by a postgraduate teaching diploma (PGCE
) at the University of Birmingham
.
in London and sub-editor on the magazine Time Out, before moving into broadcasting, working for Independent Radio News
. She was one of the original news team members at the launch of radio station LBC
in 1973, and then worked as a reporter for BBC Radio 4
for a year, before joining ITN in 1975. During her time as an ITN reporter, she covered the troubles in Northern Ireland
, the return of the Iranian spiritual leader Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979, and the Brixton riots in 1981. She made her name as a reporter with ITN on Robert Kee
's First Report programme in the late 1970s, but her first stint as a newscaster came in March 1980 when she began alternating with Michael Nicholson
as presenter on the News at 5:45. She was a regular presenter on the ITN Lunchtime News and ITN's weekend news bulletins from July 1985 until March 1989, and again between January 1991 and 1998. During the intervening period, she was the launch presenter of the 'Channel 4 Daily
' breakfast programme. She regularly fronted the ITN flagship News At Ten
programme, as well as other current affairs programmes, and in 1994 was voted Newscaster of the Year at the TV and Radio Industries Club Awards. Barnes left ITN in 1999, and then returned in 2003 to work on their short-lived 24-hour ITV News Channel
, until she left in 2004.
, who was born in 1979 and died in March 2004 in a skydiving accident near Melbourne
, Australia
, and James Barnes, who was born a year after she married ITN cameraman Nigel Thomson in 1981. A keen golfer and one-time qualified private pilot, Barnes resided in Brighton
, and became a local magistrate in 1999 after leaving ITN, until forced to stand down after being convicted of a drink-driving offence in 2004, shortly after her daughter's death.
on ITV1, a programme about her former colleague's descent into alcoholism
.
On 4 March 2008, The Daily Mirror
newspaper reported that she had suffered a life-threatening stroke
that had left her in a coma. Her doctors did not expect her to recover, and several of her closest friends also voiced these fears. Barnes never regained consciousness and died, aged 63, on 8 March 2008 in the Royal Sussex County Hospital
, Brighton. Her son James gave doctors permission to switch off her life support system after they had warned him that there was no reasonable hope that she would recover.
While Barnes was dying in hospital, her London flat was burgled
.
After Barnes' death, The Argus
newspaper of her home town of Brighton
, decided to name their Courageous Child of the Year Award after her. The Carol Barnes Courageous Child of the Year Award is one of around 20 awards given to unsung yet deserving heroes of Sussex at an annual ceremony, hosted by the newspaper.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
newsreader
News presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
and broadcaster. She worked for ITN from 1975 to 2004.
Early life
Barnes was born in NorwichNorwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, and attended St Martin-In-The-Fields High School for Girls
St Martin-In-The-Fields High School for Girls
St Martin-in-the-Fields High School for Girls is one of the oldest schools for girls in Britain. It was established in 1699 as a charitable enterprise by the parish of St Martin-in-the-Fields. Its popularity and growth led to its relocation in 1928 on a larger site in Tulse Hill, in the South...
, Tulse Hill
Tulse Hill
Tulse Hill is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in South London, England. It lies to the south of Brixton, east of Brixton Hill, north of West Norwood and west of West Dulwich.-History:...
, London. She did not like school, and left at the age of 16, doing a number of jobs for a year, before leaving to study for A levels at a local polytechnic. She then gained a BA in English, French, and Spanish at the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
, followed by a postgraduate teaching diploma (PGCE
Postgraduate Certificate in Education
The Postgraduate Certificate in Education is a one-year course in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for undergraduate degree holders that allows them to train to be a teacher....
) at the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
.
Career
Carol Barnes started her working life as a supply teacher, but decided to switch to a career in media, and held various posts including public relations officer for the Royal Court TheatreRoyal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre...
in London and sub-editor on the magazine Time Out, before moving into broadcasting, working for Independent Radio News
Independent Radio News
Independent Radio News provides a service of news bulletins, audio and copy to commercial radio stations in the UK and beyond.The managing director of IRN is Tim Molloy, who succeeded long-term MD John Perkins in November 2009...
. She was one of the original news team members at the launch of radio station LBC
LBC
LBC Radio operates two London-based radio stations, with news and talk formats. LBC was Britain's first legal commercial Independent Local Radio station, providing a service of news and information to London. It began broadcasting on 8 October 1973, a week ahead of Capital Radio...
in 1973, and then worked as a reporter for BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
for a year, before joining ITN in 1975. During her time as an ITN reporter, she covered the troubles in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, the return of the Iranian spiritual leader Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979, and the Brixton riots in 1981. She made her name as a reporter with ITN on Robert Kee
Robert Kee
Robert Kee CBE is a British broadcaster, journalist and writer, known for his historical works on World War II and Ireland....
's First Report programme in the late 1970s, but her first stint as a newscaster came in March 1980 when she began alternating with Michael Nicholson
Michael Nicholson
Michael Nicholson OBE is an English journalist and former ITN Senior Foreign Correspondent.- Journalistic career :Born in Romford, Essex, Nicholson attended the University of Leicester. Nicholson was a war reporter for ITN, who reported from wars in Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Vietnam, Cambodia,...
as presenter on the News at 5:45. She was a regular presenter on the ITN Lunchtime News and ITN's weekend news bulletins from July 1985 until March 1989, and again between January 1991 and 1998. During the intervening period, she was the launch presenter of the 'Channel 4 Daily
The Channel Four Daily
The Channel Four Daily was a breakfast television newsmagazine produced by Independent Television News, in collaboration with other production companies, for Channel 4. The programme was the first breakfast news programme for Channel 4, broadcasting between 06.00 and 09.25 each weekday morning...
' breakfast programme. She regularly fronted the ITN flagship News At Ten
News at Ten
The ITV News at Ten is the flagship news programme on British television network ITV, produced by ITN and founded by news editor Geoffrey Cox in 1967. It was originally planned as a thirteen week project in July 1967 because senior figures at ITV refused to believe that a permanent 30-minute late...
programme, as well as other current affairs programmes, and in 1994 was voted Newscaster of the Year at the TV and Radio Industries Club Awards. Barnes left ITN in 1999, and then returned in 2003 to work on their short-lived 24-hour ITV News Channel
ITV News Channel
The ITV News Channel was a 24-hour television news channel in the United Kingdom which broadcast from 1 August 2000 to 23 December 2005. It was available on Sky, NTL:Telewest, Freeview and analogue cable, presenting national and international news plus regular business, sport, entertainment and...
, until she left in 2004.
Personal life
Barnes had two children; Clare Barnes, from her 6-year relationship with former Labour Foreign Office minister Denis MacShaneDenis MacShane
Denis MacShane is a British politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Rotherham since the 1994 by-election and served as the Minister for Europe from 2002 until 2005, as well as being a current Policy Council member for Labour Friends of Israel.On 14 October 2010, it was announced...
, who was born in 1979 and died in March 2004 in a skydiving accident near Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and James Barnes, who was born a year after she married ITN cameraman Nigel Thomson in 1981. A keen golfer and one-time qualified private pilot, Barnes resided in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, and became a local magistrate in 1999 after leaving ITN, until forced to stand down after being convicted of a drink-driving offence in 2004, shortly after her daughter's death.
Later life and death
On 18 January 2008, Barnes presented Saving Ed MitchellEd Mitchell
Ed Mitchell is a UK former television presenter, business journalist and news reader, best known for his work with ITN.Educated at Worthing High School and Durham University, he also worked for Reuters, the BBC, Channel Four, European Business Channel, Asia Business News, European Business News,...
on ITV1, a programme about her former colleague's descent into alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
.
On 4 March 2008, The Daily Mirror
The Daily Mirror
The Daily Mirror is a British national daily tabloid newspaper which was founded in 1903. Twice in its history, from 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was changed to read simply The Mirror, which is how the paper is often referred to in popular parlance. It had an...
newspaper reported that she had suffered a life-threatening stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
that had left her in a coma. Her doctors did not expect her to recover, and several of her closest friends also voiced these fears. Barnes never regained consciousness and died, aged 63, on 8 March 2008 in the Royal Sussex County Hospital
Royal Sussex County Hospital
The Royal Sussex County Hospital is an acute teaching hospital in Brighton, England. Together with the Princess Royal Hospital , it is administered by the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust...
, Brighton. Her son James gave doctors permission to switch off her life support system after they had warned him that there was no reasonable hope that she would recover.
While Barnes was dying in hospital, her London flat was burgled
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
.
After Barnes' death, The Argus
The Argus (Brighton)
The Argus is a local newspaper based in Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, with editions serving the city of Brighton and Hove and the other parts of both East and West Sussex.-History:...
newspaper of her home town of Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, decided to name their Courageous Child of the Year Award after her. The Carol Barnes Courageous Child of the Year Award is one of around 20 awards given to unsung yet deserving heroes of Sussex at an annual ceremony, hosted by the newspaper.