Julia Somerville
Encyclopedia
Julia Mary Fownes Somerville (born 14 July 1947, Somerset
) is a British
television news anchor and reporter, who has worked for the BBC
and ITN.
in Oxford. She graduated in 1969 from the University of Sussex
with a BA degree in English.
, working on Homes and Gardens magazine, a Women's Journal, the PR section of Woman's Own
. Then for two years she was editor of a computer group's house magazine.
Somerville joined the BBC in 1972 as a sub-editor in the radio newsroom, and then became a reporter in 1978. In 1981 she became Labour Affairs correspondent, and in 1983 joined BBC Television News to become one of the most recognised faces on television, co-presenting the BBC Nine O'Clock News
. Somerville was the anchor on the BBC News
report broadcast on 23 October 1984 which Bob Geldof
watched and inspired Band Aid
, and ultimately Live Aid
.
Somerville moved to ITN in 1987, where she co-presented the Lunchtime News and also deputised as presenter of News at Ten
. In addition she presented 3D, a weekly ITV current affairs programme. She was diagnosed as having a brain tumour in 1993, and after neurosurgery
recovered well and was a member of the News at Ten team until it ended a 32-year run in 1999. She remained at ITN until October 2001, presenting the ITV Lunchtime News with John Suchet
and was the launch anchor for the ITN News Channel.
Between 1999 and 2001 Somerville presented the daily LBC
radio show London Life, a two-hour program devoted to interviews with diverse artists.
As part of ITN'S 'Famous Five', with Gordon Honeycombe
, Martyn Lewis
, Selina Scott
and Anna Ford
, she was brought back to the screen for one week in September 2005 for ITN's 50th Anniversary.
In 2010 Somerville returned to television news as a presenter on BBC News she also occasionally presents BBC Breakfast
. In January 2011 Somerville started as an occasional relief presenter of the BBC Weekend News
on BBC One
.
Somerville is to join Rip Off Britain
when it returns in Autumn 2011 for its third series. She will replace Jennie Bond
and will host alongside Angela Rippon
and Gloria Hunniford
.
Somerville and Dixon were interviewed by police in 1996, when concerns were raised by Boots the Chemists staff over photographs of their seven-year-old child in the bath. No caution or charges followed the investigation
Somerville suffered a brain tumour in 1993, for which she successfully underwent neurosurgery
. As a result, she agreed to become a patron of the Different Strokes charity.
Somerville has a lifelong interest in painting
, and was in 2001 a member of the judging panel for the National Portrait Gallery's BP Portrait of the Year; she has also served as a judge for several years on the RIBA
Annual Architecture Award Panels. On 18 September 2003, Somerville was appointed Chair of the Advisory Committee of the Government Art Collection, for a period of four years.
. It was also revealed that in 1995, Somerville took out a court injunction to stop sound engineer Geoffrey Brewis contacting her; she said he had visited her home, followed her and made nuisance phone calls.
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television news anchor and reporter, who has worked for 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...
and ITN.
Education
Somerville was educated at Airthrie Preparatory School in Cheltenham, and Headington School, a girls' independent schoolIndependent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in Oxford. She graduated in 1969 from the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
with a BA degree in English.
Career
On graduation Somerville joined publisher IPCIPC Media
IPC Media , a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Inc., is a consumer magazine and digital publisher in the United Kingdom, with a large portfolio selling over 350 million copies each year.- Origins :...
, working on Homes and Gardens magazine, a Women's Journal, the PR section of Woman's Own
Woman's Own
Woman's Own is a British lifestyle magazine aimed at women.Woman's Own was first published in 1932. It is one of the UK's most famous women's magazines and is published by IPC Media....
. Then for two years she was editor of a computer group's house magazine.
Somerville joined the BBC in 1972 as a sub-editor in the radio newsroom, and then became a reporter in 1978. In 1981 she became Labour Affairs correspondent, and in 1983 joined BBC Television News to become one of the most recognised faces on television, co-presenting the BBC Nine O'Clock News
BBC Nine O'Clock News
The BBC Nine O'Clock News was the flagship BBC News programme launched on 14 September 1970, which ran until 15 October 2000, when it was controversially moved to BBC News at Ten....
. Somerville was the anchor on 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...
report broadcast on 23 October 1984 which Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
watched and inspired Band Aid
Band Aid
Band Aid may refer to:* Band Aid , a musical ensemble raising money for famine relief* "Band Aid", a song on Pixie Lott's album Turn It Up* Band-Aid, a brand of adhesive bandage** Adhesive bandage, a genericised trademark...
, and ultimately Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
.
Somerville moved to ITN in 1987, where she co-presented the Lunchtime News and also deputised as presenter of News at Ten
News at Ten
The ITV News at Ten is the flagship news programme on British television network ITV, produced by ITN and founded by news editor Geoffrey Cox in 1967. It was originally planned as a thirteen week project in July 1967 because senior figures at ITV refused to believe that a permanent 30-minute late...
. In addition she presented 3D, a weekly ITV current affairs programme. She was diagnosed as having a brain tumour in 1993, and after neurosurgery
Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spine, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.-In the United States:In...
recovered well and was a member of the News at Ten team until it ended a 32-year run in 1999. She remained at ITN until October 2001, presenting the ITV Lunchtime News with John Suchet
John Suchet
John Suchet is a British news reader and television presenter.Suchet has two brothers, one of whom is David Suchet, a British actor. His father was Jack Suchet, who emigrated to England from South Africa in 1932, and trained to be a doctor at St Mary's Hospital, London...
and was the launch anchor for the ITN News Channel.
Between 1999 and 2001 Somerville presented the daily LBC
LBC
LBC Radio operates two London-based radio stations, with news and talk formats. LBC was Britain's first legal commercial Independent Local Radio station, providing a service of news and information to London. It began broadcasting on 8 October 1973, a week ahead of Capital Radio...
radio show London Life, a two-hour program devoted to interviews with diverse artists.
As part of ITN'S 'Famous Five', with Gordon Honeycombe
Gordon Honeycombe
Ronald Gordon Honeycombe is an author, playwright and stage actor, well known in the United Kingdom as a national television newscaster....
, Martyn Lewis
Martyn Lewis (journalist)
Martyn Lewis CBE is a British television news presenter and journalist.-Early life:Lewis was born in Swansea, West Glamorgan, though was educated at the co-educational Dalriada School in Northern Ireland and graduated with a BA degree from Trinity College, Dublin. He then joined BBC Northern...
, Selina Scott
Selina Scott
Selina Scott is a British newsreader, journalist, television producer and presenter.- Background and early life :Scott was born in Scarborough, North Riding of Yorkshire in 1951, the eldest of five children...
and Anna Ford
Anna Ford
Anna Ford is a retired English journalist and television presenter, best known as a newsreader....
, she was brought back to the screen for one week in September 2005 for ITN's 50th Anniversary.
In 2010 Somerville returned to television news as a presenter on BBC News she also occasionally presents 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...
. In January 2011 Somerville started as an occasional relief presenter of the BBC Weekend News
BBC Weekend News
BBC Weekend News is the national news programmes on BBC One at a weekend although it is often referred to on guides simply as BBC News, or if broadcast at 10pm exactly, BBC News at Ten...
on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
.
Somerville is to join 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...
when it returns in Autumn 2011 for its third series. She will replace 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...
and will host alongside 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 Gloria Hunniford
Gloria Hunniford
Gloria Hunniford is a Northern Irish TV and radio presenter, and formerly a singer.-Biography:...
.
Personal life
Somerville has been married three times:- Stephen Band (1970–1975, no children)
- Ray Gowdridge (1984–1992, two children)
- Sir Jeremy Dixon (Architect)
Somerville and Dixon were interviewed by police in 1996, when concerns were raised by Boots the Chemists staff over photographs of their seven-year-old child in the bath. No caution or charges followed the investigation
Somerville suffered a brain tumour in 1993, for which she successfully underwent neurosurgery
Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spine, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.-In the United States:In...
. As a result, she agreed to become a patron of the Different Strokes charity.
Somerville has a lifelong interest in painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, and was in 2001 a member of the judging panel for the National Portrait Gallery's BP Portrait of the Year; she has also served as a judge for several years on the RIBA
Riba
Riba means one of the senses of "usury" . Riba is forbidden in Islamic economic jurisprudence fiqh and considered as a major sin...
Annual Architecture Award Panels. On 18 September 2003, Somerville was appointed Chair of the Advisory Committee of the Government Art Collection, for a period of four years.
Stalkers
In August 2001, 47 year old David Hughes of North London was convicted of harassment after sending 390 obscene letters and specifically moving close to Somerville over a 12-year period. Hughes was found guilty of one charge under Section Two of the Harassment Act, and the judge made a hospital order under the Mental Health Act 1983Mental Health Act 1983
The Mental Health Act 1983 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which applies to people in England and Wales. It covers the reception, care and treatment of mentally disordered persons, the management of their property and other related matters...
. It was also revealed that in 1995, Somerville took out a court injunction to stop sound engineer Geoffrey Brewis contacting her; she said he had visited her home, followed her and made nuisance phone calls.