Carol McGiffin
Encyclopedia
Carol Deirdre McGiffin is an English
broadcaster
of radio and television, best known for her regular appearances on daytime talk show Loose Women
. She married Chris Evans in 1991; the couple separated in 1994 and divorced in 1998.
to English parents, John McGiffin and Heather Barham (died 2003, of cancer
). She has two sisters and a brother.
career in 1988 as co-host of the Chris Evans shows on GLR. Her style the and characterised today is based on comedic observation of men.
In 1995 McGiffin was a founding member of the Talk Radio UK team, co-presenting the popular weekday evening show The Rude Awakening with Moz Dee. The Rude Awakening was originally planned to be on the air from 6-10am but was regarded as too rude for the breakfast slot. When the show ended in September 1995 she became the station's music expert for around six months hosting her own Friday evening review slot and appearing every week on the Jonathan King
show.
In the latter half of 1996 she reappeared on Liberty Radio
co-hosting the breakfast show with Richard Skinner
which lasted around six months. In 1997 she reappeared again on Talk Radio on the Friday breakfast show with Paul Ross
. Within a few weeks she joined Paul on Monday-Thursday as well as co-hosting a Saturday afternoon show during the summer with Nick Abbot
. In 1998 Ross and McGiffin moved to the weekend breakfast slot.
In 1999 she joined London radio station LBC
teaming up again with Nick Abbot
. Abbot left the station after six months and McGiffin continued to host the show on her own with producer/sidekicks including Marcus Railton and Jonathan Sanchez until 30 September 2000. She has also co-hosted phone-in shows on BBC London Live
. In 2002 she occasionally teamed up with Nick Abbot
again on the late night talk show on Real Radio
.
Carol joined Live Talk in 2000, and was a regular from the start to finish in 2001. She then returned to Loose Women
in 2003, where she has been a regular ever since, and is currently the joint longest-serving panelist with Coleen Nolan
.
Between February and July 2006 she was the southern presenter of the Local Radio Company's night-time talk show North South Divided. Mike Elliott was her northern counterpart.
In August 2006 McGiffin returned to LBC 97.3
presenting a Sunday morning show. McGiffin's weekly views on the world and travel advice in her Travel Clinic ended on 10 February 2008, when she left the station. Loose Women Editor Karl Newton and This Morning's fashion expert John Scott joined her weekly to talk through the Sunday papers and supplements.
. For several years, she has returned to Maidstone to join members of her family and take part in Race for Life
to raise money for the charity Cancer Research UK
, she does this in memory of her mother.
She resides in Hampstead
, North London
. She was married to TV presenter Chris Evans, from 1991-1998. She has been engaged to Mark Cassidy since 2008.
In 2010, McGiffin released her autobiography, Oh, Carol!.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
of radio and television, best known for her regular appearances on daytime talk show Loose Women
Loose Women
Loose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip...
. She married Chris Evans in 1991; the couple separated in 1994 and divorced in 1998.
Early life
McGiffin was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to English parents, John McGiffin and Heather Barham (died 2003, of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
). She has two sisters and a brother.
Career
She started her broadcastingBroadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
career in 1988 as co-host of the Chris Evans shows on GLR. Her style the and characterised today is based on comedic observation of men.
In 1995 McGiffin was a founding member of the Talk Radio UK team, co-presenting the popular weekday evening show The Rude Awakening with Moz Dee. The Rude Awakening was originally planned to be on the air from 6-10am but was regarded as too rude for the breakfast slot. When the show ended in September 1995 she became the station's music expert for around six months hosting her own Friday evening review slot and appearing every week on the Jonathan King
Jonathan King
Jonathan King is an English singer, songwriter, impresario and record producer. He is also the author of three novels, Bible Two and The Booker Prize Winner , and Beware the Monkey Man , and an autobiography, 65 My Life So Far .King first came to prominence as an...
show.
In the latter half of 1996 she reappeared on Liberty Radio
Liberty Radio
Liberty Radio is a UK radio broadcaster and company based in London, England that, , broadcasts on satellite and the Internet, but not terrestrial radio or DAB. The company started as Viva 963, broadcasting on terrestrial radio, predominantly for women, and was later renamed...
co-hosting the breakfast show with Richard Skinner
Richard Skinner (broadcaster)
Richard Skinner is a British radio and television broadcaster.He is the only presenter to have fronted the three BBC 'flagship' pop music programmes Whistle Test, Top of the Pops and Top 40 show. -Early career:...
which lasted around six months. In 1997 she reappeared again on Talk Radio on the Friday breakfast show with Paul Ross
Paul Ross
Paul Ross is an English television and radio presenter, journalist, and media personality. He is the son of Martha Ross and the elder brother of Jonathan Ross.-Early life:...
. Within a few weeks she joined Paul on Monday-Thursday as well as co-hosting a Saturday afternoon show during the summer with Nick Abbot
Nick Abbot
Nick Abbot is a British radio presenter, who has presented on numarious radio station in the uk for past 20 years.-History:Nick Abbot was born 22 August 1960, and was educated at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh and Brunel University in Uxbridge where he gained a degree in psychology. Abbot's...
. In 1998 Ross and McGiffin moved to the weekend breakfast slot.
In 1999 she joined London 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...
teaming up again with Nick Abbot
Nick Abbot
Nick Abbot is a British radio presenter, who has presented on numarious radio station in the uk for past 20 years.-History:Nick Abbot was born 22 August 1960, and was educated at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh and Brunel University in Uxbridge where he gained a degree in psychology. Abbot's...
. Abbot left the station after six months and McGiffin continued to host the show on her own with producer/sidekicks including Marcus Railton and Jonathan Sanchez until 30 September 2000. She has also co-hosted phone-in shows on BBC London Live
BBC London 94.9
BBC London 94.9 is London's BBC Local Radio station, and part of BBC London. Broadcasting across Greater London and beyond on 94.9 FM, DAB, Virgin Media Channel 930, Sky Channel 0152 and also online...
. In 2002 she occasionally teamed up with Nick Abbot
Nick Abbot
Nick Abbot is a British radio presenter, who has presented on numarious radio station in the uk for past 20 years.-History:Nick Abbot was born 22 August 1960, and was educated at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh and Brunel University in Uxbridge where he gained a degree in psychology. Abbot's...
again on the late night talk show on Real Radio
Real Radio
Real Radio is a network of adult contemporary independent local radio stations in England, Scotland and Wales and is operated by . Each station broadcasts local breakfast through to drive time shows and network programming in the evening and through the night...
.
Carol joined Live Talk in 2000, and was a regular from the start to finish in 2001. She then returned to Loose Women
Loose Women
Loose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip...
in 2003, where she has been a regular ever since, and is currently the joint longest-serving panelist with Coleen Nolan
Coleen Nolan
Coleen Patricia Nolan is an English born television presenter, author and singer of Irish descent. She was the youngest member of the girl group, The Nolans, in which she sang alongside her sisters...
.
Between February and July 2006 she was the southern presenter of the Local Radio Company's night-time talk show North South Divided. Mike Elliott was her northern counterpart.
In August 2006 McGiffin returned to LBC 97.3
LBC 97.3
LBC 97.3 is a London-based talk and phone-in radio station. It is one half of the latest incarnation of LBC, the news and speech service which was Britain's first commercial radio station when it went on air in October 1973...
presenting a Sunday morning show. McGiffin's weekly views on the world and travel advice in her Travel Clinic ended on 10 February 2008, when she left the station. Loose Women Editor Karl Newton and This Morning's fashion expert John Scott joined her weekly to talk through the Sunday papers and supplements.
Television
McGiffin's television credits include:- Loose WomenLoose WomenLoose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip...
- Daily Cooks Challenge
- Who Wants To Be A Millionaire
- Tonight with Trevor McDonald
- Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
- The Paul O'Grady ShowThe Paul O'Grady ShowThe Paul O'Grady Show was a BAFTA award-winning British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV before moving to Channel 4...
- 8 Out Of 10 Cats8 Out of 10 Cats8 out of 10 Cats is a television comedy panel game made by Zeppotron for Channel 4. It was first broadcast on 3 June 2005. The show is based on statistics and opinion polls, and draws on polls produced by a variety of organizations and new polls commissioned for the programme, carried out by...
- Friday Night with Jonathan RossFriday Night with Jonathan RossFriday Night with Jonathan Ross was a British comedy chat show presented by Jonathan Ross. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 2 November 2001. The programme featured Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from both a guest music group and the house band...
- Celebrity JuiceCelebrity JuiceCelebrity Juice is a British television comedy panel game show on ITV2 that has been airing since 24 September, 2008. The show is presented by Keith Lemon, with regular captains Holly Willoughby and Fearne Cotton, alongside regular panellist Rufus Hound...
- The Justin Lee Collins ShowThe Justin Lee Collins ShowThe Justin Lee Collins Show is a British television talk show recently aired Thursday nights on the digital channel ITV2 starring Justin Lee Collins. Justin has a small band on the show and a continuing theme is to mention Labi Siffre as part of a joke. The series ended after one series after...
- The Wright StuffThe Wright StuffThe Wright Stuff is a British television chat show, hosted by Matthew Wright, and currently airing on Channel 5 each weekday morning from 9:15 to 11:10am....
- OK! TVOK! TVOK! TV is an early evening magazine programme, broadcast on Channel 5 as a brand extension of celebrity title OK! Magazine. It replaced Live from Studio Five on 14 February 2011, and was presented by Kate Walsh and Matt Johnson, both of which have since left the programme. Jeff Brazier and Jenny...
Personal life
McGiffin is a survivor of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
. For several years, she has returned to Maidstone to join members of her family and take part in Race for Life
Race for Life
Race for Life is a series of fundraising events organised by the British charity, Cancer Research UK. They involve running, jogging or walking a 5-kilometre course and raising sponsorship for doing so. The money raised is donated to the charity to fund cancer research and campaigns...
to raise money for the charity Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK is a cancer research and awareness charity in the United Kingdom, formed on 4 February 2002 by the merger of The Cancer Research Campaign and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. Its aim is to reduce the number of deaths from cancer. As the world's largest independent cancer...
, she does this in memory of her mother.
She resides in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
. She was married to TV presenter Chris Evans, from 1991-1998. She has been engaged to Mark Cassidy since 2008.
In 2010, McGiffin released her autobiography, Oh, Carol!.