Carolyn Quinn
Encyclopedia
Carolyn Quinn is a British journalist best known for her work on BBC Radio 4
as a political correspondent and for presenting the Today
programme and PM
.
, Dartford Grammar School for Girls
and the University of Kent
where she obtained a degree in French. She trained as a teacher, gaining a PGCE
at the Institute of Education
in London before becoming a French teacher at a London comprehensive, but gave this up to be a ward clerk at Charing Cross Hospital
. She joined Riverside Radio at the hospital.
trainee scheme. After training and two years at BBC Radio Solent
from 1987-9, she became a BBC news correspondent at Westminster
.
programme from 2004 to 2008, co-presenting her last programme with James Naughtie
on Wednesday 26 March 2008. As the programme closed, she invoked Tony Blair
's comments upon leaving office as British Prime Minister, wishing well to "friend and foe alike" and referring to a "rollercoaster", indicating that her departure from the programme may have been less than entirely amicable. She presents PM
on Saturdays, and covers the weekday edition when Eddie Mair
is away. She has also presented Pick Of The Week
several times and in January 2007 presented an edition of Woman's Hour
.
Quinn became the regular presenter of Radio Four's The Westminster Hour
from January 2007 following Andrew Rawnsley
's departure in September 2006.
, and former political correspondent of the Daily Mirror, in Richmond upon Thames
in June 2003.
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...
as a political correspondent and for presenting the Today
Today programme
Today is BBC Radio 4's long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, now broadcast from 6.00 am to 9.00 am Monday to Friday, and 7.00 am to 9.00 am on Saturdays. It is also the most popular programme on Radio 4 and one of the BBC's most popular programmes across its radio networks...
programme and PM
PM (Radio 4)
PM, sometimes referred to as the PM programme to avoid ambiguity, is BBC Radio 4's long-running early evening news and current affairs programme.-Broadcast times:...
.
Early life
Quinn attended St Joseph's RC Primary School in CrayfordCrayford
Crayford is a town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bexley that was an important bridging point in Roman times across the River Cray, a tributary of the River Darent, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames.-History:...
, Dartford Grammar School for Girls
Dartford Grammar School for Girls
Dartford Grammar School for Girls is a grammar school specializing in science, mathematics and computing that is located at Shepherds Lane , Dartford, Kent, England...
and the University of Kent
University of Kent
The University of Kent, previously the University of Kent at Canterbury, is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom...
where she obtained a degree in French. She trained as a teacher, gaining a 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 Institute of Education
Institute of Education
The Institute of Education is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom specialised in postgraduate study and research in the field of education and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It is the largest education research body in the United Kingdom, with...
in London before becoming a French teacher at a London comprehensive, but gave this up to be a ward clerk at Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital is a general, acute hospital located in London, United Kingdom and established in 1818. It is located several miles to the west of the city centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham....
. She joined Riverside Radio at the hospital.
Career
She freelanced before joining the Irish Post and was then selected for a BBC Local RadioBBC Local Radio
BBC Local Radio is the BBC's regional radio service for England and the Channel Islands, consisting of 40 stations. They cover a variety of areas with some serving a city and surrounding areas, for example BBC Radio Manchester; a county, for example BBC Radio Norfolk; an administrative region for...
trainee scheme. After training and two years at BBC Radio Solent
BBC Radio Solent
BBC Radio Solent is the BBC Local Radio service for the Isle of Wight and the English counties of Hampshire and Dorset. Its studios are located in Southampton, in the same purpose-built office block in Havelock Road as the BBC South Today news studios, and there are district offices in Portsmouth,...
from 1987-9, she became a BBC news correspondent at Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
.
BBC Radio 4
Quinn was a presenter of the TodayToday programme
Today is BBC Radio 4's long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, now broadcast from 6.00 am to 9.00 am Monday to Friday, and 7.00 am to 9.00 am on Saturdays. It is also the most popular programme on Radio 4 and one of the BBC's most popular programmes across its radio networks...
programme from 2004 to 2008, co-presenting her last programme with James Naughtie
James Naughtie
James Naughtie is a British radio presenter and radio news presenter for the BBC. Since 1994 he has been one of the main presenters of Radio 4's Today programme.- Biography :...
on Wednesday 26 March 2008. As the programme closed, she invoked Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
's comments upon leaving office as British Prime Minister, wishing well to "friend and foe alike" and referring to a "rollercoaster", indicating that her departure from the programme may have been less than entirely amicable. She presents PM
PM (Radio 4)
PM, sometimes referred to as the PM programme to avoid ambiguity, is BBC Radio 4's long-running early evening news and current affairs programme.-Broadcast times:...
on Saturdays, and covers the weekday edition when Eddie Mair
Eddie Mair
Eddie Mair is a British BBC radio and television presenter. He presents BBC Radio 4's daily news magazine PM also the Radio 4 Saturday only iPM and the BBC's NewsPod, is an occasional presenter of Newsnight, the stand-in presenter for Any Questions replacing the late Nick Clarke, and was the...
is away. She has also presented Pick Of The Week
Pick of the Week
Pick of the Week is a Canadian anthology television series which aired on CBC Television from 1967 to 1969.-Premise:Selected episodes of CBC's prime time series were rebroadcast in this weekday morning time slot such as Man Alive, Newsmagazine, The Public Eye, Singalong Jubilee and This Land...
several times and in January 2007 presented an edition of Woman's Hour
Woman's Hour
Woman's Hour is a radio magazine programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom.-History:Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by Alan Ivimey the programme was first broadcast on 7 October 1946 on the BBC's Light Programme . It was transferred to its current home in 1973...
.
Quinn became the regular presenter of Radio Four's The Westminster Hour
The Westminster Hour
The Westminster Hour is a British weekly radio magazine on BBC Radio 4 focusing on topical political events in the United Kingdom. Despite the title referring to the Palace of Westminster, home of the Houses of Parliament, the programme focuses on politics in the devolved nations as...
from January 2007 following Andrew Rawnsley
Andrew Rawnsley
Andrew Nicholas James Rawnsley is a British political journalist, notably for The Observer, and broadcaster.-Early life:...
's departure in September 2006.
Personal life
Carolyn Quinn married Nigel Morris, deputy Political Editor of The IndependentThe Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, and former political correspondent of the Daily Mirror, in Richmond upon Thames
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in South West London, UK, which forms part of Outer London. It is unique because it is the only London borough situated both north and south of the River Thames.-Settlement:...
in June 2003.