Daisy McAndrew
Encyclopedia
Daisy McAndrew (born 1972, London
) is an English
journalist
currently employed by ITN as a special correspondent for the ITV News at Ten.
, where she studied English, Politics (with Prof Ian Swinburn) and History of Art. At 19, she worked as a researcher in the House of Commons
, transferring to The House Magazine which she went on to edit between 1995 and 1997 before becoming a freelance political journalist in the House of Commons Press Gallery. In November 1999, Sampson became a press secretary to the Liberal Democrat Leader, Charles Kennedy
.
After the 2001 general election
, Sampson decided to develop a career in broadcasting, making regular contributions across television and radio, and before long she was presenting Channel 4
's lunchtime political programme, Powerhouse. In the meantime, a weekly interview column continued for The House Magazine
, reporting on politicians from all parties.
Sampson came to national prominence as a BBC News
presenter, co-hosting weekday lunchtime show The Daily Politics
with Andrew Neil
and presenting Yesterday in Parliament on BBC Breakfast
. From January 2005 until August 2005, she presented the weekday drivetime show for LBC 97.3
in London.
In September 2005, she joined ITN as chief political correspondent for ITV News
, though her role was changed in June 2008 when she returned from maternity leave to economics editor. She occasionally acts as a newscaster, of ITV News weekend bulletins and the ITV News at 1:30, from 2006-2007 and again since 2010. In August 2011 she begun working under the new title of special correspondent for the ITV News at Ten.
She is an occasional news reviewer for the ITV1
daytime series This Morning
.
story that led to Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy
being forced to reveal that he was a recovering alcoholic. Kennedy's party colleagues chose to capitalise on what was already low-key public knowledge, and this forced his resignation and triggered a leadership election. As she had previously served as Kennedy's personal press secretary, McAndrew's role in this story was widely questioned; some broadcasters and journalists aired the view that she had turned on her former employer, and dubbed her "the blonde assassin". Others considered that Kennedy's colleagues had questioned his capabilities to lead the party and had chosen to capitalise on the situation.
. She claimed on air that an interview of Tony Blair
by Michael Parkinson
revealed that Blair believed God played a role in his decision to go to war in Iraq. ITV was forced to apologise following the ruling.
. She has two children, Milly (b. 2006) and Daniel (b. 2007).
According the BBC News
website
, away from work she has many other interests.
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...
) is an English
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...
currently employed by ITN as a special correspondent for the ITV News at Ten.
Biography
Sampson completed her A Level studies at Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form StudiesCambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies
Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies is an independent sixth form college located on Station Road off Hills Road in central Cambridge, England.The college offers GCSE and GCE courses...
, where she studied English, Politics (with Prof Ian Swinburn) and History of Art. At 19, she worked as a researcher in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, transferring to The House Magazine which she went on to edit between 1995 and 1997 before becoming a freelance political journalist in the House of Commons Press Gallery. In November 1999, Sampson became a press secretary to the Liberal Democrat Leader, Charles Kennedy
Charles Kennedy
Charles Peter Kennedy is a British Liberal Democrat politician, who led the Liberal Democrats from 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006 and is currently a Member of Parliament for the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency....
.
After the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
, Sampson decided to develop a career in broadcasting, making regular contributions across television and radio, and before long she was presenting 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...
's lunchtime political programme, Powerhouse. In the meantime, a weekly interview column continued for The House Magazine
The House Magazine
The House Magazine is a weekly British political magazine relating to the British House of Commons. It is managed by a cross-party editorial team of MPs and overseen by a panel of senior parliamentarians....
, reporting on politicians from all parties.
Sampson came to national prominence as a BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
presenter, co-hosting weekday lunchtime show The Daily Politics
The Daily Politics
The Daily Politics is a British television show launched by the BBC in 2003. Presented by Andrew Neil and Jo Coburn, the programme takes an in-depth and sometimes irreverent look at the daily goings on in Westminster and other areas across Britain and the world, and includes interviews with leading...
with Andrew Neil
Andrew Neil
Andrew Ferguson Neil is a Scottish journalist and broadcaster.He currently works for the BBC, presenting the live political programmes The Daily Politics and This Week...
and presenting Yesterday in Parliament 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...
. From January 2005 until August 2005, she presented the weekday drivetime show for LBC 97.3
LBC 97.3
LBC 97.3 is a London-based talk and phone-in radio station. It is one half of the latest incarnation of LBC, the news and speech service which was Britain's first commercial radio station when it went on air in October 1973...
in London.
In September 2005, she joined ITN as chief political 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...
, though her role was changed in June 2008 when she returned from maternity leave to economics editor. She occasionally acts as a newscaster, of ITV News weekend bulletins and the ITV News at 1:30, from 2006-2007 and again since 2010. In August 2011 she begun working under the new title of special correspondent for the ITV News at Ten.
She is an occasional news reviewer for the ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
daytime series This Morning
This Morning (TV series)
This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
.
Charles Kennedy
In January 2006, it was alleged that McAndrew was responsible for the ITV NewsITV 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...
story that led to Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy
Charles Kennedy
Charles Peter Kennedy is a British Liberal Democrat politician, who led the Liberal Democrats from 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006 and is currently a Member of Parliament for the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency....
being forced to reveal that he was a recovering alcoholic. Kennedy's party colleagues chose to capitalise on what was already low-key public knowledge, and this forced his resignation and triggered a leadership election. As she had previously served as Kennedy's personal press secretary, McAndrew's role in this story was widely questioned; some broadcasters and journalists aired the view that she had turned on her former employer, and dubbed her "the blonde assassin". Others considered that Kennedy's colleagues had questioned his capabilities to lead the party and had chosen to capitalise on the situation.
Tony Blair
Again, in February 2007, McAndrew's reporting was questioned, this time by OfcomOfcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
. She claimed on air that an interview of 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...
by Michael Parkinson
Michael Parkinson
Sir Michael Parkinson, CBE is an English broadcaster, journalist and author. He presented his interview programme, Parkinson, from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007.- Early life :...
revealed that Blair believed God played a role in his decision to go to war in Iraq. ITV was forced to apologise following the ruling.
Personal life
In August 2005, Sampson married John McAndrew, former editor of The Daily Politics; her husband is now working for Sky NewsSky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
. She has two children, Milly (b. 2006) and Daniel (b. 2007).
According the BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
, away from work she has many other interests.
- "A self-confessed speed-junkie, motorcycles, go-karts, dune-buggies and fast cars are her other passions as well as throwing paper planes, cooking, walking her dog Nigel and endlessly moving home!"