Sue Cook
Encyclopedia
Sue Cook is a British
broadcaster and author.
). She has two younger brothers, and lived on Burnham Avenue. She attended Glebe Primary School in Ickenham
, then passed her eleven-plus enabling her to attend the (newly opened in January 1960) Vyners Grammar School (now called Vyners School
) also in Ickenham, on Warren Road. She gained ten O-levels and three A-levels.
before moving over to the BBC
where, over the next twenty years, she presented programmes for both radio and television, notably the BBC's Nationwide
, Breakfast Time
, Children in Need
, Out of Court, and Crimewatch
.
Other BBC TV presenting credits include Pebble Mill At One
, Daytime Live, Omnibus At The Proms, Having A Baby, Out Of This World and The Children's Royal Variety Performance.
She was a regular guest on Call My Bluff and one of Holiday
s team of reporters. For Channel 4
she hosted the popular afternoon show Collectors Lot
. She also appeared briefly as herself in the BBC television drama serial Edge of Darkness
(1985) and in The Life and Loves of a She-Devil
(1986).
, although she only ever 'appeared' on the other end of a telephone, and personally did not take part in the show. For effect she was portrayed as a foul-mouthed heavy smoker, in contrast to her good-natured screen persona. Cook sent Alan Partridge star Steve Coogan
a letter apologising for her fictional behaviour on the show. She was also mentioned in episode 6 of Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge, where it was revealed that her initials spelled out the sound "Sick".
, the University conferred on her an honorary D.Litt
in 1997 in recognition of her contribution to British broadcasting.
(2009), are published by Hodder Headline. She is currently working on her third. She devised and presents the supportive series for writers The Write Lines for BBC Oxford http://thewritelines.co.uk.
She is adapting her first novel On Dangerous Ground for the screen.
with her third husband, film director Ian Sharp. She has two children, Charlie Williams, son to former husband John Williams
, the classical guitarist, and Megan Macqueen, daughter to children's television and GMTV
producer Billy Macqueen with whom she lived for almost fifteen years, and who is ten years her junior. Her first marriage was in 1971 to the musician Brian Cook, whom she met at Leicester University.
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...
broadcaster and author.
Early life
Her father, William, worked for the Commission on Industrial Relations (became AcasAcas
The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service is a Crown non-departmental public body of the Government of the United Kingdom. Its purpose is to improve organisations and working life through the promotion and facilitation of strong industrial relations practice...
). She has two younger brothers, and lived on Burnham Avenue. She attended Glebe Primary School in Ickenham
Ickenham
Ickenham is a suburban area centred on an old village in Greater London, part of the London Borough of Hillingdon.While no major historical events have taken place in Ickenham, settlements dating back to the Roman occupation of Britain have been discovered during archaeological surveys, and the...
, then passed her eleven-plus enabling her to attend the (newly opened in January 1960) Vyners Grammar School (now called Vyners School
Vyners School
Vyners School is a secondary comprehensive school and specialist mathematics & computing college in Ickenham within the London Borough of Hillingdon.The current Head teacher is Susan Gould, who took over on 1 September 2007.- History :...
) also in Ickenham, on Warren Road. She gained ten O-levels and three A-levels.
Career
Her career began as a producer, presenter and DJ for London's Capital RadioCapital Radio
Capital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
before moving over to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
where, over the next twenty years, she presented programmes for both radio and television, notably the BBC's Nationwide
Nationwide (TV series)
Nationwide was a BBC News and Current affairs television programme broadcast on BBC One each weekday following the early evening news. It followed a magazine format, combining political analysis and discussion with consumer affairs, light entertainment and sports reporting...
, Breakfast Time
Breakfast Time
Breakfast Time was British television's first national breakfast show, beating TV-am's flagship programme Good Morning Britain to the air by two weeks.The show was revolutionary for the time...
, Children in Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
, Out of Court, and Crimewatch
Crimewatch
Crimewatch is a long-running and high-profile British television programme produced by the BBC, that reconstructs major unsolved crimes with a view to gaining information from the members of the public. The programme is usually broadcast once a month on BBC One...
.
Other BBC TV presenting credits include Pebble Mill At One
Pebble Mill at One
Pebble Mill at One was a popular British lunchtime chat show broadcast live originally on BBC2 before transferring to BBC1. It was produced from the Pebble Mill facilities of BBC Birmingham, and uniquely was hosted from the centre's main reception area rather than a traditional studio...
, Daytime Live, Omnibus At The Proms, Having A Baby, Out Of This World and The Children's Royal Variety Performance.
She was a regular guest on Call My Bluff and one of Holiday
Holiday
A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations...
s team of reporters. For Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
she hosted the popular afternoon show Collectors Lot
Collectors Lot
Collectors Lot was a tv programme produced from 1997 to 2001 by Twofour Broadcast for the UKs Channel 4. Shown on weekday afternoons, the programme visited every corner of Britain to explore the weird and wonderful things that people choose to collect...
. She also appeared briefly as herself in the BBC television drama serial Edge of Darkness
Edge of Darkness
Edge of Darkness is a British television drama serial, produced by BBC Television in association with Lionheart Television International and originally broadcast in six fifty-five minute episodes in late 1985...
(1985) and in The Life and Loves of a She-Devil
The Life and Loves of a She-Devil
The Life and Loves of a She-Devil is a 1983 novel by British feminist author Fay Weldon about a highly unattractive woman who goes to great lengths to take revenge on her husband and his attractive lover...
(1986).
Alan Partridge
She was famously referred to often in the first series of I'm Alan PartridgeI'm Alan Partridge
I'm Alan Partridge is a BBC situation comedy starring Steve Coogan, of which two series of six episodes each were produced — the first in 1997 and the second in 2002...
, although she only ever 'appeared' on the other end of a telephone, and personally did not take part in the show. For effect she was portrayed as a foul-mouthed heavy smoker, in contrast to her good-natured screen persona. Cook sent Alan Partridge star Steve Coogan
Steve Coogan
Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
a letter apologising for her fictional behaviour on the show. She was also mentioned in episode 6 of Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge, where it was revealed that her initials spelled out the sound "Sick".
Recognition
An honours graduate in Psychology from the University of LeicesterUniversity of Leicester
The University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....
, the University conferred on her an honorary D.Litt
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
in 1997 in recognition of her contribution to British broadcasting.
Publications
Her first two novels On Dangerous Ground (2006) and Force of NatureForce of Nature
Forces of Nature are the four types of forces described by physics.A force of nature is a natural phenomenon, that is, one not produced by humans.Force of Nature, as a legal term, may refer to:...
(2009), are published by Hodder Headline. She is currently working on her third. She devised and presents the supportive series for writers The Write Lines for BBC Oxford http://thewritelines.co.uk.
Film
She is Executive Producer for Tracker starring Ray Winstone and due for UK release in April 2011. She also script edited the movie.She is adapting her first novel On Dangerous Ground for the screen.
Personal life
Cook has been married three times. She lives in North LondonNorth 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...
with her third husband, film director Ian Sharp. She has two children, Charlie Williams, son to former husband John Williams
John Williams (guitarist)
John Christopher Williams is an Australian classical guitarist, and a long-term resident of the United Kingdom. In 1973, he shared a Grammy Award win in the 'Best Chamber Music Performance' category with Julian Bream for Julian and John .-Biography:John Williams was born on 24 April 1941 in...
, the classical guitarist, and Megan Macqueen, daughter to children's television and GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
producer Billy Macqueen with whom she lived for almost fifteen years, and who is ten years her junior. Her first marriage was in 1971 to the musician Brian Cook, whom she met at Leicester University.