Kirsty Young
Encyclopedia
Kirsty Jackson Young is a Scottish television presenter and radio presenter. She is the main presenter of Crimewatch
and Desert Island Discs
. She is married to millionaire club owner Nick Jones
.
. Her media career began in 1989 when she worked as a continuity announcer for BBC Radio Scotland
. In 1992 she moved to Scottish Television
where she presented the main evening news programme, Scotland Today
and also hosted her own chat show, Kirsty. She left Scottish TV and Scotland itself in 1996. That year she guest presented The Time, The Place and also featured on the Holiday programme. She co-hosted consumer show The Street on BBC Two
. In 1997, she joined the news team of the new terrestrial channel, Channel 5. She left Channel 5 to join ITV
in 1999 and hosted a quiz show called The People Versus
in 2000. In 2001, she became the co-presenter of the ITV Evening News with Dermot Murnaghan
and, later the same year, after giving birth to her first child, she decided to return to Channel Five.
Young returned to Channel 5 in 2002 with a new look and hosted both the 5.30pm and 7pm editions until her maternity leave began in January 2006, when she was replaced by John Suchet
and Helen Fospero
. In November 2003, she guest-presented an edition of Have I Got News for You
. As of 2010 she has guest-presented nine times. She appeared on Room 101
in 2004 during which she nominated cowboy boots, Britney Spears
and 'baby on board' stickers among her pet hates.
In June 2006, it was announced that Young was to be the new presenter of the long-running BBC Radio 4
programme Desert Island Discs
, replacing Sue Lawley
; which she began on 1 October 2006. She then returned to Five News
on 28 September 2006, but in 2007, Young announced that she would be leaving Five News in the autumn, following ten years as its head anchor
. On 29 August 2007, she presented her last show for Five News.
On 29 September 2007, it was announced that Young would replace Fiona Bruce
as a presenter on the BBC's Crimewatch
programme. There had been rumours in 1999 that Young was to host the show after the murder of Jill Dando
, before Fiona Bruce
took over.
From 11 January 2010, she presented a four-part BBC TV series entitled The British Family. In March-April 2011, she presented the TV series The British at Work
.
. She returned in June 2008 to officially open the school's new building. She admitted to suffering from bulimia as a teenager on the first episode of her first TV show. In a later interview she said "It only happened for a very fleeting few months and I dealt with it myself."
Young met businessman Nick Jones
, (founder of Soho House club
and owner of Babington House
) in 1998 and they married in September 1999. She has two daughters, Freya (born February 2001) and Iona (born April 2006). She has two stepchildren, Jones' children from his first marriage, Natasha and Oliver. Both Young and Jones are supporters of Rangers F.C.
.
Crimewatch
Crimewatch is a long-running and high-profile British television programme produced by the BBC, that reconstructs major unsolved crimes with a view to gaining information from the members of the public. The programme is usually broadcast once a month on BBC One...
and Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs is a BBC Radio 4 programme first broadcast on 29 January 1942. It is the second longest-running radio programme , and is the longest-running factual programme in the history of radio...
. She is married to millionaire club owner Nick Jones
Nick Jones (entrepreneur)
Nicholas Keith Arthur Jones is an English entrepreneur. He is the owner of the Babington House hotel and health club and founder and chief executive of Soho House UK Ltd, which specialises in luxury private members’ club venues with restaurants, cinemas, health spas and bedrooms, with some aspects...
.
Career
Young was born in East KilbrideEast Kilbride
East Kilbride is a large suburban town in the South Lanarkshire council area, in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland. Designated as Scotland's first new town in 1947, it forms part of the Greater Glasgow conurbation...
. Her media career began in 1989 when she worked as a continuity announcer for BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland is BBC Scotland's national English-language radio network. It broadcasts a wide variety of programming, including news, sport, light entertainment, music, the arts, comedy, drama, history and lifestyle...
. In 1992 she moved to Scottish Television
Scottish Television
Scottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
where she presented the main evening news programme, Scotland Today
Scotland Today
Scotland Today was a Scottish regional news programme covering Central Scotland, produced by STV Central . Despite its name suggesting a national remit, the programme was actually limited to stories around STV's Central Belt franchise...
and also hosted her own chat show, Kirsty. She left Scottish TV and Scotland itself in 1996. That year she guest presented The Time, The Place and also featured on the Holiday programme. She co-hosted consumer show The Street on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
. In 1997, she joined the news team of the new terrestrial channel, Channel 5. She left Channel 5 to join 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 1999 and hosted a quiz show called The People Versus
The People Versus
The People Versus is a television game show which aired on ITV from 2000 to 2002 in the United Kingdom. Kirsty Young hosted the program for the primetime series and Kaye Adams hosted the program for the daytime series. The show was radical in terms of the two changes of versions. The second version...
in 2000. In 2001, she became the co-presenter of the ITV Evening News with Dermot Murnaghan
Dermot Murnaghan
Dermot Murnaghan is a British journalist and television presenter.He is well known for his work as a presenter of ITV and BBC News as well as the shows Eggheads and Treasure Hunt . He co-presented BBC Breakfast from Monday to Thursday as well as regularly fronting national BBC news bulletins...
and, later the same year, after giving birth to her first child, she decided to return to Channel Five.
Young returned to Channel 5 in 2002 with a new look and hosted both the 5.30pm and 7pm editions until her maternity leave began in January 2006, when she was replaced by 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 Helen Fospero
Helen Fospero
Helen Fospero is an English television newsreader and journalist.-Early life:Born Helen Jane Morton, she grew up in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire and attended Whitgift School on Crosland Road in Grimsby. She left school just before her 18th birthday and started her career at the local weekly...
. In November 2003, she guest-presented an edition of Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
. As of 2010 she has guest-presented nine times. She appeared on Room 101
Room 101 (TV series)
Room 101 is a BBC comedy television series based on the radio series of the same name, in which celebrities were invited to discuss their pet hates and persuade the host to consign them to a fate worse than death in Room 101, named after the torture room in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, which is...
in 2004 during which she nominated cowboy boots, Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
and 'baby on board' stickers among her pet hates.
In June 2006, it was announced that Young was to be the new presenter of the long-running 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...
programme Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs is a BBC Radio 4 programme first broadcast on 29 January 1942. It is the second longest-running radio programme , and is the longest-running factual programme in the history of radio...
, replacing Sue Lawley
Sue Lawley
- Early life and education:Born in Sedgley, Staffordshire, England and brought up in the Black Country, she was educated at Dudley Girls High School and graduated in modern languages from the University of Bristol and some time later started her career at the BBC in Plymouth...
; which she began on 1 October 2006. She then returned to Five News
Five News
5 News is the news programme of British broadcaster Channel 5, produced by Sky News. From 1 January 2005, Sky News was awarded the contract to provide the news for Channel 5, replacing ITN, which had provided the channel's news service from the channel's launch in 1997...
on 28 September 2006, but in 2007, Young announced that she would be leaving Five News in the autumn, following ten years as its head anchor
News presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
. On 29 August 2007, she presented her last show for Five News.
On 29 September 2007, it was announced that Young would replace Fiona Bruce
Fiona Bruce
Fiona Elizabeth Bruce is a British journalist, newsreader and television presenter. Since joining the BBC in 1989, she has gone on to present many flagship programmes for the corporation including the BBC News at Six, BBC News at Ten, Crimewatch, Call My Bluff and, most recently, Antiques Roadshow...
as a presenter on the BBC's Crimewatch
Crimewatch
Crimewatch is a long-running and high-profile British television programme produced by the BBC, that reconstructs major unsolved crimes with a view to gaining information from the members of the public. The programme is usually broadcast once a month on BBC One...
programme. There had been rumours in 1999 that Young was to host the show after the murder of Jill Dando
Jill Dando
Jill Wendy Dando was an English journalist, television presenter and newsreader who worked for the BBC for 14 years. She was murdered by gunshot outside her home in Fulham, West London; her killer has never been identified....
, before Fiona Bruce
Fiona Bruce
Fiona Elizabeth Bruce is a British journalist, newsreader and television presenter. Since joining the BBC in 1989, she has gone on to present many flagship programmes for the corporation including the BBC News at Six, BBC News at Ten, Crimewatch, Call My Bluff and, most recently, Antiques Roadshow...
took over.
From 11 January 2010, she presented a four-part BBC TV series entitled The British Family. In March-April 2011, she presented the TV series The British at Work
The British at Work
The British at Work is a four-part BBC Two documentary series, broadcast in 2011. It is presented by Kirsty Young.-Episode list:...
.
Personal life
Young attended Stirling High SchoolStirling High School
Stirling High School is a state high school for 11-18 year olds run by Stirling Council in Stirling, Scotland. It is one of seven high schools in the Stirling district, and currently has approximately 972 pupils attending...
. She returned in June 2008 to officially open the school's new building. She admitted to suffering from bulimia as a teenager on the first episode of her first TV show. In a later interview she said "It only happened for a very fleeting few months and I dealt with it myself."
Young met businessman Nick Jones
Nick Jones (entrepreneur)
Nicholas Keith Arthur Jones is an English entrepreneur. He is the owner of the Babington House hotel and health club and founder and chief executive of Soho House UK Ltd, which specialises in luxury private members’ club venues with restaurants, cinemas, health spas and bedrooms, with some aspects...
, (founder of Soho House club
Soho House (club)
Soho House is a well-known private members club patronized by those in the arts and media. The original location is at Greek Street, Soho, London, England . There are now nine 'houses' worldwide, found in Babington, Notting Hill, Chiswick, Shoreditch, Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, West...
and owner of Babington House
Babington House
Babington House is a Grade II* listed manor house, located in the village of Babington, between Radstock and Frome, in the county of Somerset, EnglandConverted to a private members club and hotel by Nick Jones, it is currently owned by Soho House Ltd...
) in 1998 and they married in September 1999. She has two daughters, Freya (born February 2001) and Iona (born April 2006). She has two stepchildren, Jones' children from his first marriage, Natasha and Oliver. Both Young and Jones are supporters of Rangers F.C.
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
.