Cover story
‘Life is for living, CELEBRATING & DANCING!’
BBC stalwart Fiona Bruce talks candidly about why she doesn’t like change, her stellar career (including being shouted at by Lord Sugar) and the importance of family
There’s no denying that Fiona Bruce has a career to be admired. In her TV roles presenting News at Ten, chairing Question Time and uncovering family treasures and stories on Antiques Roadshow, the BBC veteran is undoubtedly a household favourite and a woman who has made the record book.
At 58 years old, Fiona looks great and conversation quickly turns to her fast-approaching 60th.
‘I had a big party for my 55th, my 50th and my 40th, and there will definitely be a massive party for that birthday,’ she smiles. ‘Over the last couple of years, we’ve learnt that life’s for living, celebration and dancing until the small hours. What’s not to like?’
It’s another insight into life behind the scenes of a woman who was the firstever female to present the News at Ten, and three years ago replaced long-time Question Time host David Dimbleby – two roles that saw her hailed as a trailblazer for women in the TV industry.
‘I think that’s less of a reflection on me and more of a reflection on the industry,’ says Fiona, who studied French and Italian at Oxford, then started her career at a management company and totted up four years in advertising before running into the then-editor of Panorama at a wedding in 1989. Consequently, the door to broadcasting opened.
Although unwilling to divulge finer details about her marriage to advertising boss Nigel Sharrocks (‘Oh my God, his toes would curl for me to even go there’), Fiona talks happily about her family life, including her role as a mum to son Sam, 24, and daughter Mia, 20, as well as her incredible career and why, off-screen, she’s not comfortable with change.
I’ve been at the BBC for 30-odd years.
I started at the corporation in December 1989 and I’m very happy with what I’m doing. I consider myself incredibly fortunate.
I nearly left on a couple of occasions to go to ITV. The first time, I was about to have my first child, and just couldn’t see past that fact. The next time, by sheer coincidence, I went to a meeting, planning to say ‘I’ve been offered another job’. I wanted to be doing better reporting assignments, and in the meeting I was asked, ‘Would you like to present the Six O’Clock News?’
So I never mentioned the other thing after that. It was totally irrelevant!
I admire lots of women in the industry.
The trouble is, if you start to namecheck, you leave some out and that feels invidious. In the industry, there’s an embarrassment of riches, of good women and, in my experience, there�
