Selina Scott

Vocation

English newsreader, journalist, television producer and presenter. Scott studied at the University of East Anglia, reading English and American Literature. Initially resisting the temptation to continue a family trait working in journalism Scott succumbed and went to work on The Sunday Post in Dundee, Scotland, for two years. She began broadcasting as a reporter and presenter with Grampian TV in 1978. At the age of 29, she progressed to national television, appearing first as a newsreader on ITV's News at Ten. In 1982 at the outbreak of the Falklands War Scott became the Forces' pin-up girl, causing viewing figures to soar. She then went on to launch breakfast television in the UK, joining the BBC's Breakfast Time programme in January 1983. She later presented The Clothes Show, and was a guest host on the chat show, Wogan (named after its regular host Terry Wogan). Scott crossed the Atlantic in 1988, joining the US channel CBS and hosting a current affairs programme, West 57th. Back in the UK she joined Rupert Murdoch's satellite channel Sky, co-anchoring its 1992 election night coverage with Sir David Frost. Scott has also produced documentaries on royal figures in Europe including A Prince Among Islands, a profile of Prince Charles, a film with King Juan Carlos of Spain (which achieved record viewing figures for a documentary in Spain) and The Return of the King, which involved travelling with King Constantine of Greece after 25 years of exile. By 1995 in the US she had her own chat show on NBC. By 1997 she was back in the UK, signing a contract with Sky reputedly for £1,000,000. She anchored the breakfast programme, later switching to the 5 pm news. In 2003, she moved from Perthshire, Scotland, to her native North Yorkshire, after buying a 200-acre farm near Ampleforth to accommodate her 27 Angora goats. The fleeces are washed, spun and dyed, producing mohair wool for her farm business. The wool is used to create socks for the gun makers James Purdey and Sons, and she has her own company designing and creating socks. Through this venture she has greatly enhanced her role as a Countryside Custodian while living in an area designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In October 2006, Scott was chosen to launch the new season's fashion campaign for Country Casuals, now known as CC. In Spring 2007, Kingfisher Productions hired Scott to co-host Tales from the Countryside. July 2007 saw Scott presenting the BBC's Animal Rescue Live Show daily from Battersea Dog's Home in central London, co-hosting with Matt Baker. Running daily for three weeks, the programme highlighted the plight of many animals at the home appealing to the public to consider re-homing. On 5 December 2008 she won a legal case against Five, a UK television station, for age discrimination. Five issued a public apology and a confidential out-of-court financial settlement. In April 2009, Scott wrote a two-piece article for the Daily Mail documenting her experience of ageism, legal action and its coincidence with her father's deteriorating health and death. In a departure from broadcasting, Scott has written her first autobiographical book, A Long Walk in the High Hills: The Story of a House, a Dog and a Spanish Island. Following her successful claim against ageism, Scott has become a vocal lobbyist for the cause. Age UK and Equal Justice, a legal firm, commissioned Scott to compile a report investigating the employment of women over 50 years old at the BBC. The report was finally delivered to Sir Michael Lyons, Chairman of the BBC Trust and Jeremy Hunt, the shadow Culture and Media Secretary in April 2010. In summary the report accuses the BBC of institutional ageism against older women. September 2010 saw a return for Scott to the BBC reading the news on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 for two weeks, deputising for fellow veteran newsreader Moira Stuart. In 2011, Scott again returned to work for Sky Arts presenting a 5 part documentary series Treasure Houses of Britain. The series charts the history of five of the best known historical houses in Britain. In March 2012, the University of Hull announced it had awarded an honorary doctorate (PhD) to Scott for services to journalism, to be styled as a Doctor of Letters. She refuses to discuss most aspects of her private life and her marital status is unknown. Link to Wikipedia biography