Sophie Raworth

Sophie Raworth

Raworth in Brighton in 2009
Born Sophie Jane Raworth
(1968-05-15) 15 May 1968
Redhill, Surrey, England
Occupation Journalist, presenter, newsreader
Years active 1992–present
Notable credit(s) BBC News at One
BBC News at Six
Watchdog

Sophie Jane Raworth (born 15 May 1968)[1] is an English journalist and broadcaster. She works for the BBC as a newsreader, anchoring BBC News at One on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. She also regularly appears on the BBC News at Six and occasionally on BBC News at Ten.

In 2015, she became the new presenter of consumer affairs programme Watchdog, replacing Anne Robinson.

Early life

Born in Redhill, Surrey, to a florist mother and a businessman father, Raworth was brought up in Twickenham,[2] south west London and attended the independent Putney High School and St Paul's Girls' School in Hammersmith. After completing a degree in French and German at the University of Manchester, Raworth spent a year teaching English to teenagers in Toulouse before studying for a postgraduate course in broadcasting and journalism at City University London.[1][3]

Career

Raworth joined the BBC in 1992 as a news reporter, first for Greater Manchester Radio and then as BBC Regions correspondent in Brussels in April 1994.[1] In May 1995, she became the regular joint presenter of BBC's Look North programme in Leeds.

Raworth moved to national television in 1997, to co-present the BBC's Breakfast News programme on BBC One, initially with Justin Webb, and in later years, with John Nicolson.[1]

Raworth then joined the BBC's early morning news programme Breakfast at its launch in 2000, which she presented alongside Jeremy Bowen[4] and in later years, Dermot Murnaghan, on Monday–Thursdays, and sometimes with regular relief presenters such as Bill Turnbull and Michael Peschardt. She then moved to the BBC Six O'Clock News in January 2003 which she presented alongside George Alagiah; she was a presenter on this bulletin until October 2005 when she went on maternity leave, and was replaced by Natasha Kaplinsky. In March 2006 Raworth was named as the main presenter of the BBC News at One, replacing Anna Ford on Monday-Thursdays. She took up the position in June 2006 after returning from maternity leave. She also can occasionally be seen presenting relief shifts on the rolling news channel BBC News channel.

Raworth has presented several BBC specials, including coverage of the Queen's Golden Jubilee and Our Monarchy – the Next 50 Years, both alongside David Dimbleby.[1] In addition, she has appeared on Tomorrow's World and entertainment programmes such as Dream Lives and the Judgemental quiz-show in autumn 2002.

In 2004, Raworth appeared on the BBC fashion show What Not to Wear, in which she was given a makeover by style advisors Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine. In 2006 she was part of the television coverage of the Children's Party at the Palace, an event to celebrate the Queen's 80th birthday. Along with Huw Edwards, she presented some fake news updates for the programme, which led to many complaints from viewers.[5] Raworth had a cameo role as a newsreader in the last series of the BBC comedy series My Hero.

In August 2007, it was reported by The Guardian that with the departure of Kirsty Young from Five News, the broadcaster was on the lookout for a big name to replace her; Raworth was seen as a possibility. However, another BBC newsreader, Natasha Kaplinsky was recruited.[6]

At the end of the One O'Clock News on 31 January 2008, she announced that she would be leaving the programme until the summer, and confirmed Kate Silverton as presenting the bulletin during her absence. Raworth returned on 25 August 2008, after the birth of her third child, with the presentation of the Bank Holiday edition of the BBC News at One, BBC News at Six and BBC News at Ten. Raworth ran the Great North Run on 5 October 2008.

Since early 2009, Raworth has been the main relief presenter on the BBC News at Six and a regular relief presenter on the BBC News at Ten, often presenting when regular presenters Huw Edwards, Fiona Bruce and George Alagiah are not available. She has also appeared in place of Andrew Marr on The Andrew Marr Show, and presented on the BBC News Channel (formerly known as BBC News 24).

In May 2009 she presented 'The Trouble with Working Women' with reporter and father-of-three Justin Rowlatt on the BBC. The programme looked at the role of the working woman.[7] In 2009, she presented Crimewatch Roadshow on BBC One on weekday mornings.

In 2013, Raworth had a cameo appearance at the start of the film A Good Day to Die Hard as herself.[8]

On 16 July 2013, Raworth was given an Award of Doctor of Arts honoris causa by City University London. Raworth presented Watchdog Daily in 2012 and Watchdog Test House in 2014 and 2015, before landing the role of main presenter on Watchdog in September 2015. She replaced Anne Robinson.

Personal life

Raworth lives in London.[1]

Charity

On 17 April 2011, Raworth completed the London Marathon despite collapsing two miles from the finish line.[9] She has now completed four marathons, most recently the London Marathon 2014.[10]

On 13 April 2014, she took part in the 2014 London Marathon having completed the course in just over 3 hours and 48 minutes after once again gaining a celebrity place to ensure a good finishing time.

Filmography

Film
TV

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "BBC News Profiles: Sophie Raworth". 1 December 2003. Retrieved 28 December 2006.
  2. ↑ "Star Clips website".
  3. ↑ Hermione Eyre (19 February 2006). "Sophie Raworth: The autocutie with brains". The Independent (London). Retrieved 15 January 2008.
  4. ↑ Moir, Jan (15 April 2005). "'Ice maiden? I'm the opposite'". The Telegraph (London). Retrieved 31 August 2009.
  5. ↑ Complaints about BBC's fake news updates BBC Editor's Blog
  6. ↑ "Kaplinsky quitting BBC for Five". BBC News. 5 October 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
  7. ↑ "The Trouble with Working Women". BBC Two. Retrieved 16 December 2013
  8. ↑ "A Good Day to Die Hard review – "It's a good bad movie"". Radio Times. 14 February 2013.
  9. ↑ "BBC newsreader collapses on London marathon run". BBC News. 17 April 2011.
  10. ↑ "BBC 24 News 17:30".

External links

Media offices
Preceded by
Huw Edwards		 Main co-presenter of BBC News at Six
Served alongside: George Alagiah (2003–2005)		 Succeeded by
Natasha Kaplinsky
Preceded by
Anna Ford		 Main presenter of BBC News at One
2006 – present 		Incumbent
Preceded by
None		 Main presenter of Crimewatch Roadshow
2009 		Succeeded by
Ginny Buckley
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