Gloria Hunniford
Encyclopedia
Gloria Hunniford is a Northern Irish TV and radio presenter
, and formerly a singer.
, County Armagh
, Northern Ireland, into a Protestant family; her father was a member of the Orange Order. Named after actress Gloria Swanson
, Hunniford was originally a singer. She was popular in her native Northern Ireland, worked in Canada and has made many records. She returned to Northern Ireland as a BBC
production assistant in Belfast
, and a local radio broadcaster. In the 1970s and 1980s she was the presenter of Good Evening Ulster and on network ITV Sunday Sunday and We Love TV.
Hunniford had her own daily radio show on BBC Radio 2
, starting off with the lunchtime show before moving to the early afternoon slot in 1985 where she remained for 10 years. She also hosted Sounding Brass
a music phone-in request programme with a live brass band, the idea devised by radio producer Owen Spencer-Thomas
.
As a television presenter and celebrity, Hunniford has appeared on numerous programmes including Gloria Live, Wogan, Holiday, Songs of Praise, That's Showbusiness
, Kilroy, Open House with Gloria Hunniford
and Sunday, Sunday. She has won awards including TV Personality of the Year and Best Dressed Female, and has made a health and exercise video called Fit for Life. In 2005, she appeared on the BBC's pro-celebrity ballroom dancing show, Strictly Come Dancing
, dancing with Darren Bennett
.
In August 2010, she appeared as a panellist on ITV's new show 3@Three
.
In December 2010, Hunniford appeared in Rip Off Britain
, a consumer complaints programme on BBC Television along with Angela Rippon
and Jennie Bond
.
aged 61.
She moved to Sevenoaks
, Kent, where she still lives, and where her daughter Caron Keating
(1962-2004) died of breast cancer
. This led to her setting up a cancer charity in her daughter's name.Hunniford claims that a white feather
fell at her feet during the funeral of her daughter, when there was no evidence of where it came from in the surroundings. She claims to often find white feathers in unusual places such as studios etc which she believes are a message card from her daughter, informing her that she is in a good place.
Hunniford married celebrity hairdresser Stephen Way in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in September 1998.
On The Alan Titchmarsh Show
on 6 May 2011, Hunniford revealed her support for David Cameron
's Conservative-led coalition government, describing herself as "a bit of a David Cameron fan", although she criticised the government's decision to continue giving aid to Pakistan when it was making cuts in the UK.
comedy series The Thin Blue Line
Constable Frank Gladstone had an ongoing infatuation with Hunniford.
In the final episode of the first series of the BBC Comedy One Foot In The Grave
The main protagonist Victor Meldrew
wakes up to find her on Breakfast Television. He then unsuccessfully attempts to get her off the screen by using insect repellant.
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...
, and formerly a singer.
Biography
Hunniford was born in PortadownPortadown
Portadown is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about 23 miles south-west of Belfast...
, County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
, Northern Ireland, into a Protestant family; her father was a member of the Orange Order. Named after actress Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson was an American actress, singer and producer. She was one of the most prominent stars during the silent film era as both an actress and a fashion icon, especially under the direction of Cecil B. DeMille, made dozens of silents and was nominated for the first Academy Award in the...
, Hunniford was originally a singer. She was popular in her native Northern Ireland, worked in Canada and has made many records. She returned to Northern Ireland as a 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...
production assistant in Belfast
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...
, and a local radio broadcaster. In the 1970s and 1980s she was the presenter of Good Evening Ulster and on network ITV Sunday Sunday and We Love TV.
Hunniford had her own daily radio show on BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
, starting off with the lunchtime show before moving to the early afternoon slot in 1985 where she remained for 10 years. She also hosted Sounding Brass
Sounding Brass
Sounding Brass was a pioneer phone-in programme presented by Gloria Hunniford on BBC Radio 2. Listeners were invited to choose a Christmas carol or hymn while a Salvation Army band, which included the famous Chalk Farm Band, stood by in the studio to play their requests live.The brass bands had a...
a music phone-in request programme with a live brass band, the idea devised by radio producer Owen Spencer-Thomas
Owen Spencer-Thomas
Owen Robert Spencer-Thomas MBE is perhaps best known as a television and radio news journalist over three decades, but he has also undertaken a wide range of philanthropric work as volunteer charity fundraiser, pioneer and campaigner for people with autism and other disabilities...
.
As a television presenter and celebrity, Hunniford has appeared on numerous programmes including Gloria Live, Wogan, Holiday, Songs of Praise, That's Showbusiness
That's Showbusiness
That's Showbusiness is a television quiz show with celebrity teams answering questions about the entertainment industry. It aired on Monday nights on BBC1 between 1989 and 1996. It was presented by Mike Smith...
, Kilroy, Open House with Gloria Hunniford
Open House with Gloria Hunniford
Open House with Gloria Hunniford was an afternoon television show broadcast on Channel 5 in the United Kingdom between 1998 and 2003. It was presented by Gloria Hunniford and focused on lifestyle, cookery, and human interest issues. It was broadcast five days a week from Monday to Friday....
and Sunday, Sunday. She has won awards including TV Personality of the Year and Best Dressed Female, and has made a health and exercise video called Fit for Life. In 2005, she appeared on the BBC's pro-celebrity ballroom dancing show, 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...
, dancing with Darren Bennett
Darren Bennett (dancer)
Darren Lee Bennett is a professional dancer, as were his parents. With his wife Lilia Kopylova he has a successful career in professional Latin dancing, competing nationally and internationally. Darren's favourite dances are the Samba and the Foxtrot.They teach private lessons in their own studio...
.
In August 2010, she appeared as a panellist on ITV's new show 3@Three
3@three
3@Three is a topical TV live debate show on ITV. In the programme three topics are discussed each day at three o'clock by three rotating panellists. The first series of ten episodes aired on Monday-Friday between 2 August and 13 August 2010...
.
In December 2010, Hunniford appeared in Rip Off Britain
Rip Off Britain (TV series)
Rip Off Britain is a daytime series which exposes Britain's rip-offs to help the British consumers. It began on 30 November 2009 presented by former news journalists Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Jennie Bond...
, a consumer complaints programme on BBC Television along with Angela Rippon
Angela Rippon
Angela M. Rippon, OBE, born 12 October 1944, Plymouth, Devon, England, is an English television journalist, newsreader, writer and presenter. Rippon presented radio and television news programmes in South West England before moving to BBC One's Nine O'Clock News, becoming a regular presenter in 1975...
and Jennie Bond
Jennie Bond
Jennifer "Jennie" Bond is an English journalist and television presenter. She worked for fourteen years as the BBC's royal correspondent. She has most recently hosted Cash in the Attic and narrated the five series programme, Great British Menu.-Early career:She was educated at St...
.
Personal life
While working for the BBC in Belfast, she met cameraman and later BBC current affairs producer Don Keating (1936–1997). The couple married in 1970 and had a daughter and two sons; the couple separated in 1985 and divorced in 1992. He died of heart diseaseHeart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
aged 61.
She moved to Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks is a commuter town situated on the London fringe of west Kent, England, some 20 miles south-east of Charing Cross, on one of the principal commuter rail lines from the capital...
, Kent, where she still lives, and where her daughter Caron Keating
Caron Keating
Caron Louisa Keating was a Northern Irish television presenter on British and Northern Irish television.-Early life and education:...
(1962-2004) died of breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
. This led to her setting up a cancer charity in her daughter's name.Hunniford claims that a white feather
White feather
A white feather has been a traditional symbol of cowardice, used and recognised especially within the British Army and in countries associated with the British Empire since the 18th century...
fell at her feet during the funeral of her daughter, when there was no evidence of where it came from in the surroundings. She claims to often find white feathers in unusual places such as studios etc which she believes are a message card from her daughter, informing her that she is in a good place.
Hunniford married celebrity hairdresser Stephen Way in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in September 1998.
On The Alan Titchmarsh Show
The Alan Titchmarsh Show
The Alan Titchmarsh Show is a British daytime TV chat show broadcast between 3 and 4pm weekdays on the ITV Network.-Format:The programme made its debut on ITV in 2007. It focused on the theme of "The Best of British" focusing on food, entertainment and celebrities in a mid-afternoon slot...
on 6 May 2011, Hunniford revealed her support for 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 ....
's Conservative-led coalition government, describing herself as "a bit of a David Cameron fan", although she criticised the government's decision to continue giving aid to Pakistan when it was making cuts in the UK.
In popular culture
In the 1990's BBCBBC
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...
comedy series The Thin Blue Line
The Thin Blue Line (TV series)
The Thin Blue Line is a British sitcom starring Rowan Atkinson set in a police station that ran for two series on the BBC from 1995 to 1996...
Constable Frank Gladstone had an ongoing infatuation with Hunniford.
In the final episode of the first series of the BBC Comedy One Foot In The Grave
One Foot in the Grave
One Foot in the Grave is a BBC television sitcom series written by David Renwick. The show ran for six series, including seven Christmas specials, two Comic Relief specials, over an eleven year period, from early 1990 to late 2000...
The main protagonist Victor Meldrew
Victor Meldrew
Victor Meldrew was a fictional character in the popular BBC One sitcom One Foot in the Grave. Created by David Renwick and played by Richard Wilson, the character was the archetypal grumpy old man...
wakes up to find her on Breakfast Television. He then unsuccessfully attempts to get her off the screen by using insect repellant.