Susanna Reid
Encyclopedia
Susanna Reid is an English
journalist
and presenter
, best known for presenting BBC Breakfast
.
, London
to an English father who worked as a management consultant, of Scottish
ancestry, and an English mother who worked as a nurse. Her parents separated and divorced when she was aged 9.
Reid was educated at the independent Croham Hurst School
, Croydon from 1975–81, where comedienne Sue Perkins
was amongst her classmates, followed by the independent Croydon High School
(1981–87) and St Paul's Girls' School
(1987–89) in London. Reid studyied Politics, Philosophy and Law at the University of Bristol
(1989–92), where she was editor of EpiGram
, the university's student newspaper, when it was shortlisted for Best Student Newspaper in the 1991 The Guardian/NUS student journalism awards. She then undertook a Postgraduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the Cardiff School of Journalism
.
and then become a reporter for Radio 5 Live
, as well as latterly a producer.
She then joined BBC News 24
where she spent two years as a reporter. When the 23:00 presenter didn't turn up one night, she became a stand-in presenter for an hour (while three months pregnant with her first child), which turned in to a permanent position. Before going on maternity leave, she presented on the BBC's online interactive service. Reid then spent three months doing charity work in Sri Lanka
, before becoming a reporter for Breakfast News. After a second maternity break, Reid became a presenter on the BBC News channel.
Reid is one of the main presenters on BBC Breakfast
, presenting alongside Charlie Stayt
and previously Bill Turnbull
on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. She has held her current role since 2004, when she replaced Mishal Husain
, who went on maternity leave and can occasionally be seen on Breakfast during the week. In 2010 she stepped down from presenting Breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays to take a role on new programme Sunday Morning Live
. As of the final episode of the first series on 21 November 2010, she resumed her weekend presenting duties on BBC Breakfast within 2 weeks.
She was also the regular newsreader during the headlines on The Andrew Marr Show, On 16 May 2010 she stood in briefly for Andrew Marr
, for the Sunday newspaper review, when he arrived late for the programme after interviewing the new Prime Minister
David Cameron
. This led to a slightly awkward scene when he turned up halfway through and there was a confusion as to who was fronting the show.
On 6 February 2009, Reid made a swift, off-the-cuff apology, while hosting Breakfast with Charlie Stayt
, when a wrongly-cued, uncut audio clip of Hollywood actor Christian Bale
, featuring the shouted line "You don't fucking understand!" was played on air. This was broadcast live at 6.55am on BBC1 in the UK. The clip was cut immediately and Reid's gasps were audible during and immediately after the clip.
On 22 February she presented the BBC's live coverage of the 2009 Oscars
from Los Angeles
. She also presented coverage of the 2010 Oscars
on 7 March.
In 2010 the BBC received complaints about Reid's apparent cleavage, revealing clothing, and behaviour, accusing her of 'flirting' and 'behaving like a schoolgirl on her first date', during an interview with Hugh Grant. Reid replied "I'm always sorry when people don't like what we do, but I have come to accept that you can't please all the people all of the time. However, after breastfeeding three children, I'm amazed that people think I still have a cleavage worth complaining about." Reid has gained a large male fan base on the internet, due to her good looks and supposed 'revealing clothing', who post videos of her online, with one video gaining over 200,000 hits. In February 2010 the press again discussed Reid after she wore a reportedly 'sexy ultra-tight dress', which drew much comment from her internet fans. Reid later defended her clothing, saying that after appearing regularly on TV she realised she 'had to raise my game if I was to look good presenting' and that her 'curvy' figure was suited to fitted clothing.
In light of the move of BBC Breakfast to MediaCityUK in Salford
, Manchester
, and existing Monday to Thursday presenter Sian Williams deciding to stay in London on other programmes, from January 2012 Reid will take over Williams position as a main weekday presenter, alongside Bill Turnbull
.
's Spider's Web
in 1982, and then in 1985 alongside Harriet Walter
, Peter Barkworth
, Adrian Dunbar
and Derek Thompson in 'The Price' on Channel 4
.
as a voluntary media consultant for a charity which counsels victims of the civil war and operates orphanages and social development programmes. Since 2008 she has also been part of the annual BBC's Children In Need
"Newsreaders performance." During the 2011 charity night, she took part in a Strictly Come Dancing
competition, along with three other BBC newsreaders. Reid and her professional dance partner, Robin Windsor
won the competition.
, South London
, with her longtime partner, former sports correspondent Dominic Cotton
. Although not married, the couple have been together since 1998, and have three sons.
Reid is a pescetarian
, something she discusses occasionally in her Saturday morning banter with chef James Martin
when commenting on the dishes on his following programme, Saturday Kitchen
.
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...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and presenter
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...
, best known for presenting BBC Breakfast
BBC Breakfast
BBC Breakfast is the morning television news programme simulcast on BBC One and the BBC News channel. It is presented live from BBC Television Centre in White City, West London, and contains a mixture of news, sport, weather, business and feature items...
.
Early life
The youngest of three children, Reid was born in CroydonCroydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, London
London
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 an English father who worked as a management consultant, of Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
ancestry, and an English mother who worked as a nurse. Her parents separated and divorced when she was aged 9.
Reid was educated at the independent Croham Hurst School
Croham Hurst School
Croham Hurst School was a day independent school for both junior and senior girls located in South Croydon, England. It was established by Kathleen Ellis in 1899. The second founder of the school, Theodora Clark, of the Clarks' family, joined Miss Ellis in 1901...
, Croydon from 1975–81, where comedienne Sue Perkins
Sue Perkins
Sue Perkins is an English comedienne, broadcaster, actress, and writer.-Education:Perkins was educated at Croham Hurst School, an independent school for girls in Croydon in South London, at the same time as the BBC Breakfast News presenter Susanna Reid...
was amongst her classmates, followed by the independent Croydon High School
Croydon High School
Croydon High School for Girls GDST is a leading non-denominational independent school for girls, located near Croydon, Greater London, England. It is one of the schools in the Girls' Day School Trust....
(1981–87) and St Paul's Girls' School
St Paul's Girls' School
St Paul's Girls' School is a senior independent school, located in Brook Green, Hammersmith, in West London, England.-History:In 1904 a new day school for girls was established by the trustees of the Dean Colet Foundation , which had run St Paul's School for boys since the sixteenth century...
(1987–89) in London. Reid studyied Politics, Philosophy and Law at the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
(1989–92), where she was editor of EpiGram
Epigram (newspaper)
Epigram is the independent student newspaper of the University of Bristol. It was established in 1988 by James Landale, now a senior BBC journalist, who studied politics at Bristol...
, the university's student newspaper, when it was shortlisted for Best Student Newspaper in the 1991 The Guardian/NUS student journalism awards. She then undertook a Postgraduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the Cardiff School of Journalism
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
.
Broadcasting career
Reid started her career at BBC Radio BristolBBC Radio Bristol
BBC Radio Bristol is the BBC Local Radio service for the English city of Bristol and the surrounding former Avon area. Launched in September 1970, it broadcasts from Broadcasting House in Bristol on FM frequencies 94.9 MHz , 104.6 MHz , 103.6 MHz , on AM 1548 kHz and on DAB.The...
and then become a reporter for Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
, as well as latterly a producer.
She then joined BBC News 24
BBC News 24
BBC News is the BBC's 24-hour rolling news television network in the United Kingdom. The channel launched as BBC News 24 on 9 November 1997 at 17:30 as part of the BBC's foray into digital domestic television channels, becoming the first competitor to Sky News, which had been running since 1989...
where she spent two years as a reporter. When the 23:00 presenter didn't turn up one night, she became a stand-in presenter for an hour (while three months pregnant with her first child), which turned in to a permanent position. Before going on maternity leave, she presented on the BBC's online interactive service. Reid then spent three months doing charity work in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, before becoming a reporter for Breakfast News. After a second maternity break, Reid became a presenter on the BBC News channel.
Reid is one of the main presenters on BBC Breakfast
BBC Breakfast
BBC Breakfast is the morning television news programme simulcast on BBC One and the BBC News channel. It is presented live from BBC Television Centre in White City, West London, and contains a mixture of news, sport, weather, business and feature items...
, presenting alongside Charlie Stayt
Charlie Stayt
Charles Stayt is a British journalist and presenter, currently working freelance with the BBC as a presenter of BBC Breakfast.-Early life:Stayt was born in 1962 in Gloucester in Gloucestershire, in the West of England...
and previously Bill Turnbull
Bill Turnbull
William Robert "Bill" Turnbull is an English journalist and presenter, currently employed by the BBC and best known for presenting BBC Breakfast...
on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. She has held her current role since 2004, when she replaced Mishal Husain
Mishal Husain
Mishal Husain is a television news presenter for the BBC's international news channel, BBC World News, presenting Impact between 1400 and 1600 GMT every Monday to Thursday as well as presenting the Sunday evening editions of the BBC Weekend News on BBC One...
, who went on maternity leave and can occasionally be seen on Breakfast during the week. In 2010 she stepped down from presenting Breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays to take a role on new programme Sunday Morning Live
Sunday Morning Live (BBC)
Sunday Morning Live is a religious and currents affairs discussion programme. The first series aired on BBC One from July 2010 to November 2010 after the end of the third series of The Big Questions.A second series began on 26 June 2011.-Format:...
. As of the final episode of the first series on 21 November 2010, she resumed her weekend presenting duties on BBC Breakfast within 2 weeks.
She was also the regular newsreader during the headlines on The Andrew Marr Show, On 16 May 2010 she stood in briefly for Andrew Marr
Andrew Marr
Andrew William Stevenson Marr is a Scottish journalist and political commentator. He edited The Independent for two years until May 1998, and was political editor of BBC News from 2000 until 2005....
, for the Sunday newspaper review, when he arrived late for the programme after interviewing the new Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
. This led to a slightly awkward scene when he turned up halfway through and there was a confusion as to who was fronting the show.
On 6 February 2009, Reid made a swift, off-the-cuff apology, while hosting Breakfast with Charlie Stayt
Charlie Stayt
Charles Stayt is a British journalist and presenter, currently working freelance with the BBC as a presenter of BBC Breakfast.-Early life:Stayt was born in 1962 in Gloucester in Gloucestershire, in the West of England...
, when a wrongly-cued, uncut audio clip of Hollywood actor Christian Bale
Christian Bale
Christian Charles Philip Bale is an English actor. Best known for his roles in American films, Bale has starred in both big budget Hollywood films and the smaller projects from independent producers and art houses....
, featuring the shouted line "You don't fucking understand!" was played on air. This was broadcast live at 6.55am on BBC1 in the UK. The clip was cut immediately and Reid's gasps were audible during and immediately after the clip.
On 22 February she presented the BBC's live coverage of the 2009 Oscars
81st Academy Awards
The 81st Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , honored the best films of 2008 and took place February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST...
from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. She also presented coverage of the 2010 Oscars
83rd Academy Awards
The 83rd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , honored the best films of 2010 and took place February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. During the ceremony, Academy Awards ...
on 7 March.
In 2010 the BBC received complaints about Reid's apparent cleavage, revealing clothing, and behaviour, accusing her of 'flirting' and 'behaving like a schoolgirl on her first date', during an interview with Hugh Grant. Reid replied "I'm always sorry when people don't like what we do, but I have come to accept that you can't please all the people all of the time. However, after breastfeeding three children, I'm amazed that people think I still have a cleavage worth complaining about." Reid has gained a large male fan base on the internet, due to her good looks and supposed 'revealing clothing', who post videos of her online, with one video gaining over 200,000 hits. In February 2010 the press again discussed Reid after she wore a reportedly 'sexy ultra-tight dress', which drew much comment from her internet fans. Reid later defended her clothing, saying that after appearing regularly on TV she realised she 'had to raise my game if I was to look good presenting' and that her 'curvy' figure was suited to fitted clothing.
In light of the move of BBC Breakfast to MediaCityUK in Salford
Salford
Salford lies at the heart of the City of Salford, a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. Salford is sited in a meander of the River Irwell, which forms its boundary with the city of Manchester to the east. Together with its neighbouring towns to the west, Salford...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, and existing Monday to Thursday presenter Sian Williams deciding to stay in London on other programmes, from January 2012 Reid will take over Williams position as a main weekday presenter, alongside Bill Turnbull
Bill Turnbull
William Robert "Bill" Turnbull is an English journalist and presenter, currently employed by the BBC and best known for presenting BBC Breakfast...
.
Acting
Reid appeared as an actress, with Shirley-Anne Field, in Agatha ChristieAgatha Christie
Dame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
's Spider's Web
Spider's Web (play)
Spider's Web is a 1954 play by crime writer Agatha Christie.-Background:Spider's Web was written at the request of its star, Margaret Lockwood, whose main body of work was in films and who had never appeared in a West End production aside from Peter Pan...
in 1982, and then in 1985 alongside Harriet Walter
Harriet Walter
Dame Harriet Mary Walter, DBE is a British actress.-Personal life:She is the niece of renowned British actor Sir Christopher Lee, as the daughter of his elder sister Xandra Lee. On her father's side she is a great-great-great-granddaughter of John Walter, founder of The TimesShe was educated at...
, Peter Barkworth
Peter Barkworth
Peter Wynn Barkworth was an English actor.-Early life:Peter Barkworth was born at Margate, Kent. Soon after his birth, the family moved to Bramhall in Cheshire and Barkworth was educated at Stockport School. His headmaster wanted him to go to university but Barkworth had set his heart on a career...
, Adrian Dunbar
Adrian Dunbar
Adrian Dunbar is an actor from Northern Ireland, best known for his television and theatre work. Dunbar co-wrote and starred in the 1991 film, Hear My Song, nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the BAFTA awards.-Personal life:...
and Derek Thompson in 'The Price' on 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...
.
Charity interests
Reid is a regular contributor to Media Trust, the charity which links other charities to the media industry, and has hosted events for the Myotubular Trust and Voluntary Arts England. In 1998 she worked for three months in Sri LankaSri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
as a voluntary media consultant for a charity which counsels victims of the civil war and operates orphanages and social development programmes. Since 2008 she has also been part of the annual BBC's 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...
"Newsreaders performance." During the 2011 charity night, she took part in a Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
competition, along with three other BBC newsreaders. Reid and her professional dance partner, Robin Windsor
Robin Windsor
Robin Windsor , is a British professional latin and ballroom dancer, born in Ipswich, Suffolk. Windsor grew up in the Spring Road area of Ipswich and went to Clifford Road Primary and Copleston High School. He has been dancing since he was three when his parents took him to the Ipswich School of...
won the competition.
Personal life
Reid lives in LambethLambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
, with her longtime partner, former sports correspondent Dominic Cotton
Dominic Cotton
Dominic Cotton , is an English journalist, presently communications director for charity UK Youth.Born in Cheshire but moving to London when he was two, Cotton trained and worked as an actor, gaining parts on The Bill and in London's West End theatre.After two years he undertook a post-graduate...
. Although not married, the couple have been together since 1998, and have three sons.
Reid is a pescetarian
Pescetarianism
Pescetarianism is the practice of a diet that includes seafood but not the flesh of other animals.In addition to fish and/or shellfish, a pescetarian diet typically includes all of vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains, beans, eggs and dairy...
, something she discusses occasionally in her Saturday morning banter with chef James Martin
James Martin (chef)
James Martin , is an English cook who first appeared on television in 1996.-Television career:...
when commenting on the dishes on his following programme, Saturday Kitchen
Saturday Kitchen
Saturday Kitchen Live is a 90 minute cookery programme, which is broadcast live on BBC One on Saturday mornings. It is currently presented by James Martin; previous presenters have included Antony Worrall Thompson and Gregg Wallace. The programme is currently produced by Cactus TV...
.