John Humphrys
Biography
Veteran journalist with a reputation as an abrasive political interviewer. He presented the Nine O'Clock News in the 1980s before moving to Radio 4's Today, which he has anchored since 1987.
Trivia
In 2004, he launched a withering attack on reality television, saying that "the way to get ratings is to get evil". Eyebrows were raised a year later when he appeared on Art School, itself a, er, reality show. Though (admittedly) not particularly evil.
He has received honorary degrees from the University of Wales, University of Dundee and Abertay University.
He recieved an Outstanding Contribution award (pictured above) at the 2005 Welsh BAFTAs.
He lists his recreations in Who's Who as music, hill walking, and attempting to play the cello. His oldest son, Christopher, is a cellist - and John also has a daughter and a nine-year-old younger son, whom he often mentions during with his chats with his 'Mastermind' contestants.
John's younger brother, the late Bob Humphrys, was a senior sports correspondent for Wales Today. Beforehand, both Bob and John worked together on the current affairs programme Week In Week Out.
He was born on the same day as Robert De Niro - 17 August 1943.
Contact
Gordon Poole Agency Ltd, The Limes, Brockley, Bristol. BS48 3BB
Books/Tapes
Devil's Advocate (paperback)
The Great Food Gamble (paperback)
Lost For Words: The Mangling and Manipulating of the English Language (paperback)
Beyond Words: How Language Reveals The Way We Live Now (hardback)
In God We Doubt: Confessions Of A Failed Atheist (hardback)
