James Naughtie

British journalist and TV presenter James Naughtie was born in Scotland and started his career on local paper the Aberdeen Press & Journal. This was quickly followed by a move to London to work on The Scotsman, becoming the paper’s Chief Political Reporter in 1981. His interest in political reporting continued as he took a role with The Washington Post and then with The Guardian.

His experience in reporting moved into broadcast as he started to present The Week in Westminster and the World At One for BBC Radio Four in the 1980s and quickly established himself as an authoritative and reliable voice on British politics. In 1994 Naughtie took over flagship show The Today Programme, a long-running current affairs programme, where he remained as anchor-man for 21 years and becoming a favourite with listeners for his easy-listening Scottish lilt paired with rigorous questioning of politicians.

But he doesn’t specialise only in political reporting, a famous bibliophile Naughtie co-hosted the popular BBC Radio 4 show Bookclub and a classical music enthusiast has covered opera for BBC Radio 3 and the Proms for television. Now the author of six books, this media veteran has been named the Scottish Press Journalist of the Year, Sony Radio Awards Personality of the Year and won the Voice of the Viewer and Listeners Award. Although he has retired from presenting The Today Show Naughtie continues to work for the BBC as a Special Correspondent and book editor.