Andrea Catherwood
Encyclopedia
Andrea Catherine Catherwood (born 27 November 1967 in Belfast
) is a Northern Irish
television presenter and journalist.
in 2004 for her work with the charity Action Medical Research. Andrea was educated at Strathearn School
in Belfast. Andrea's broadcasting career began aged 16, when she joined the BBC
in Belfast as a co-presenter of a youth current affairs programme for which she won BBC Northern Ireland's Young Presenter of the Year award. The following year she co-presented the youth current affairs programme "Up Front". Aged 18 Catherwood made a documentary for BBC Radio 4
about the 18 years of troubles in Northern Ireland,
, in 1990 Catherwood joined Ulster Television where she spent three years as a news and features reporter. In 1993 she joined NBC Asia
in Hong Kong
as a news reporter, covering the handover of Hong Kong to China and the 1997 stock-market turmoil. She travelled extensively throughout Asia, and in Burma interviewed opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi
.
She joined ITN in April 1998 starting as Newscaster/Senior Reporter for ITV News, presenting the ITV Morning News and doing special reports for News at Ten. She then became Medical Correspondent for ITV News
. Having joined Five News in 2000 as a main news presenter, she moved back to ITV
in 2001.
In November 2001 she was the first British journalist
into Mazari Sharif after the Northern Alliance captured the city from Taliban forces. She produced a number of reports, which received wide coverage in the British press. Catherwood was reporting from inside the prison at the beginning of the Taliban prisoners uprising when one exploded a concealed grenade that killed five people. Catherwood was injured in the knee
by shrapnel.
In 2003, she was promoted and made the main anchor of the ITV Weekend News, plus a relief presenter on the ITV Lunchtime News and ITV Evening News.
Catherwood left ITV News in September 2006, to front The Sunday Edition
, ITV's new political show with Andrew Rawnsley
. However, this was quietly dropped in November 2007.
In 2006, she was scheduled to appear on the celebrity special of The X Factor: Battle of the Stars
and to sing with James Hewitt
but ITV chiefs refused to give her permission to appear on the show.
In July 2009, to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the NASA moon landings, ITN produced five special 10-minute programmes for ITV
titled Mission to the Moon - News from 1969. Catherwood, a former ITN newscaster and correspondent, reported for these specials. The first aired at 22:35 on ITV on Wednesday 15 July and ran the following Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday.
In October 2009 it was announced that Catherwood is to be one of the main presenters on Bloomberg Television
as part of the News station's relaunch.
Andrea is now also a weekly contributor to This Morning, as well as writing for the Mail on Sunday.
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
) is a Northern Irish
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
television presenter and journalist.
Early life
Andrea Catherwood was born and raised in Belfast where her mother, 'Adrienne McGuill', was an announcer and newsreader at Ulster Television from 1959 to 1969, and also presented 'The Romper Room', from 1964 to 1969 as 'Miss Adrienne'. Adrienne Catherwood was awarded an MBEMBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
in 2004 for her work with the charity Action Medical Research. Andrea was educated at Strathearn School
Strathearn School
Strathearn is a voluntary, all-girls grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland.It is situated in the east of the city and attended by about 750 girls aged 11–18. The grounds include sports facilities and pitches for hockey and athletics as well as many mature trees, which surround the front lawn...
in Belfast. Andrea's broadcasting career began aged 16, when she joined 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...
in Belfast as a co-presenter of a youth current affairs programme for which she won BBC Northern Ireland's Young Presenter of the Year award. The following year she co-presented the youth current affairs programme "Up Front". Aged 18 Catherwood made a documentary for BBC Radio 4
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...
about the 18 years of troubles in Northern Ireland,
Journalism career
Following an honours degree in Law from the University of ManchesterUniversity of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
, in 1990 Catherwood joined Ulster Television where she spent three years as a news and features reporter. In 1993 she joined NBC Asia
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
as a news reporter, covering the handover of Hong Kong to China and the 1997 stock-market turmoil. She travelled extensively throughout Asia, and in Burma interviewed opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained...
.
She joined ITN in April 1998 starting as Newscaster/Senior Reporter for ITV News, presenting the ITV Morning News and doing special reports for News at Ten. She then became Medical Correspondent for ITV News
ITV News
ITV News is the branding of news programmes on the British television network ITV. Since 1955, ITV's news bulletins have been produced by Independent Television News . The channel's news coverage has won awards from the Royal Television Society, Emmy Awards and BAFTAs. Between 2004 and 2008, the...
. Having joined Five News in 2000 as a main news presenter, she moved back to ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
in 2001.
In November 2001 she was the first British 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...
into Mazari Sharif after the Northern Alliance captured the city from Taliban forces. She produced a number of reports, which received wide coverage in the British press. Catherwood was reporting from inside the prison at the beginning of the Taliban prisoners uprising when one exploded a concealed grenade that killed five people. Catherwood was injured in the knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
by shrapnel.
In 2003, she was promoted and made the main anchor of the ITV Weekend News, plus a relief presenter on the ITV Lunchtime News and ITV Evening News.
Catherwood left ITV News in September 2006, to front The Sunday Edition
The Sunday Edition
For the CBC Radio One radio show, see Sunday EditionThe Sunday Edition was a television programme broadcast on the ITV Network in the United Kingdom focusing on political interview and discussion, produced by London Weekend Television...
, ITV's new political show with Andrew Rawnsley
Andrew Rawnsley
Andrew Nicholas James Rawnsley is a British political journalist, notably for The Observer, and broadcaster.-Early life:...
. However, this was quietly dropped in November 2007.
In 2006, she was scheduled to appear on the celebrity special of The X Factor: Battle of the Stars
The X Factor: Battle of the Stars
The X Factor: Battle of the Stars was a UK celebrity special edition of The X Factor, which screened on ITV, started on 29 May 2006 and lasting for eight consecutive nights...
and to sing with James Hewitt
James Hewitt
James Hewitt is a former British household cavalry officer in the British Army. He had an affair with Diana, Princess of Wales for five years, receiving extensive media coverage after revealing details of the affair.-Early life:...
but ITV chiefs refused to give her permission to appear on the show.
In July 2009, to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the NASA moon landings, ITN produced five special 10-minute programmes for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
titled Mission to the Moon - News from 1969. Catherwood, a former ITN newscaster and correspondent, reported for these specials. The first aired at 22:35 on ITV on Wednesday 15 July and ran the following Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday.
In October 2009 it was announced that Catherwood is to be one of the main presenters on Bloomberg Television
Bloomberg Television
Bloomberg Television is a 24-hour global network broadcasting business and financial news. It is distributed globally, reaching over 200 million homes worldwide. It is owned and operated by Bloomberg L.P...
as part of the News station's relaunch.
Andrea is now also a weekly contributor to This Morning, as well as writing for the Mail on Sunday.