Angela Rippon: Difference between revisions
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== Early life and career == |
== Early life and career == |
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Her father was a [[Royal Marines|Royal Marine]], and she didn't see him until aged three after he returned from [[World War Two]]. The family holidayed in [[St. Ives]], [[Cornwall]] and Rippon attended [[Plymouth Grammar School]], and was a [[Girl Guides|Girl Guide]]. |
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Her father was a [[Royal Marines|Royal Marine]] and she attended Plymouth Grammar School. |
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Upon leaving school at 17 she joined the photographic office of the ''[[Western Morning News]]'' and worked for the ''Sunday Independent.'' She then worked in [[BBC]] local radio and for [[Westward Television]] as an editor. |
Upon leaving school at 17 she joined the photographic office of the ''[[Western Morning News]]'' and worked for the ''Sunday Independent.'' She then worked in [[BBC]] local radio and for [[Westward Television]] as an editor. |
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== Television career == |
== Television career == |
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Her presenting career started at the BBC in Plymouth. She is often erroneously stated to have been the first female [[news presenter|newsreader]] on prime-time television news, on [[BBC Two|BBC2]] in 1974 (later presenting the [[BBC]]'s ''Nine O'clock News''), but [[Barbara Mandell]] predates her, having first appeared on the second night of [[ITV]] in 1955. However, Rippon was the first female newsreader to hold the job on a regular basis. |
Her presenting career started at the BBC in Plymouth. She is often erroneously stated to have been the first female [[news presenter|newsreader]] on prime-time television news, on [[BBC Two|BBC2]] in 1974 (later presenting the [[BBC]]'s ''Nine O'clock News''), but [[Barbara Mandell]] predates her, having first appeared on the second night of [[ITV]] in 1955. However, Rippon was the first female newsreader to hold the job on a regular basis. |
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Revision as of 18:23, 29 July 2008
Angela Rippon | |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 October 1944 |
| Occupation(s) | journalist, newsreader and television presenter. |
Angela Rippon, OBE (born 12 October 1944) in Plymouth, Devon, is a well-known English television journalist, newsreader and presenter.
Early life and career
Her father was a Royal Marine, and she didn't see him until aged three after he returned from World War Two. The family holidayed in St. Ives, Cornwall and Rippon attended Plymouth Grammar School, and was a Girl Guide.
Upon leaving school at 17 she joined the photographic office of the Western Morning News and worked for the Sunday Independent. She then worked in BBC local radio and for Westward Television as an editor.
Television career
Her presenting career started at the BBC in Plymouth. She is often erroneously stated to have been the first female newsreader on prime-time television news, on BBC2 in 1974 (later presenting the BBC's Nine O'clock News), but Barbara Mandell predates her, having first appeared on the second night of ITV in 1955. However, Rippon was the first female newsreader to hold the job on a regular basis.
She famously guest-starred in a Morecambe and Wise Christmas show (first appearing behind a newsdesk and then emerging to do a high-kicking dance routine), and later presented Come Dancing.
In 1977, she hosted the Eurovision Song Contest at The Wembley Conference Centre in the UK. According to The Eurovision Song Contest - The Official History by author John Kennedy O'Connor, the contest was postponed by over a month, finally broadcast on 7 May 1977. [1]
She was the first presenter of BBC Television's Top Gear motoring show. She appeared briefly on TV-am following its launch in 1983. After a much publicised exit from TV-am (with most of its other founder presenters) Rippon worked as an Arts and Entertainments Editor for a television station called CHANNEL 7 in Boston, MA for a spell.
Rippon helped to present the BBC's coverage of the wedding between Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles on 29 July 1981. In the mid-1980s she hosted the TV quiz show, Masterteam on BBC One, then went on to host the ITV revival of the popular panel game What's My Line? from 1989 to 1990.
From 1990 to 1994 she presented a daily radio news programme on LBC Newstalk - Angela Rippon's Morning Report and later, Angela Rippon's Drivetime. She was also a regular stand-in newsreader on Channel 4's The Big Breakfast when regular newsreaders were on holiday or otherwise unavailable.
In 2005 she co-hosted a new series of Sun, Sea and Bargain Spotting for BBC2 daytime. In April 2006 she toured the country as part of the cast of the musical 'Anything Goes'.
BBC One is currently showing Rippon presenting 'Cash In The Attic'. The daytime television programme meets members of the general public in their homes searching for valuables and antiques to be sold at auction. Rippon, along with an antiques expert, presents the show with the owners at auction helping them to get the best price for their items. She recently hosted a weekend news show called Live with Angela Rippon on the ITV News Channel.
Honour
Rippon was awarded the OBE in June 2004.
Personal life
Rippon was married to Christopher Dare for 22 years although is now divorced.
Books
In the early 1980s, Rippon wrote a series children's books about a character called "Victoria Plum", for Purnell and Sons. The character was a tree fairy in "the Great Wood". Other fairy characters - Marsha, Ben, Sugar Plum - and talking woodland creatures inhabited the fictional universe. The series spawned related merchandise and a Christmas annual.[2]
She has since written keep-fit guides for older people, including "Stay Active, Stay Supple, Stay Healthy" and "Feel Fabulous at Fifty and Beyond: A Survival Guide".[3]
Equestrianism is another of her interests and she authored a book on Princess Anne's first husband : Mark Phillips: the man and his horses.
Music
The song "Mucky Pup" by Puncture, an English punk band, has an allusion to her in the last verse of the song (this song was covered by the Exploited on their first album "Punk's Not Dead"). [4]
The English anarcho-punk band, Crass, has a song devoted to Rippon on their 1984 album, Best Before. The one minute track addresses Rippon and other contemporary English newsreaders (Robert Dougal, Kenneth Kendal and Richard Baker) and seems to be reacting to the public figures' tactics of conveying information, asserting that such tactics may have been false or biased to a certain degree.
Rippon is also mentioned in the lyrics of the Billy Bragg song, "A Busy Girl Buys Beauty" from the album " Life's a Riot with Spy Vs Spy". The lyrics include the couplet: 'What was Anna Ford wearing?/What did Angela Rippon say?'
External links
References
- ^ O'Connor, John Kennedy. The Eurovision Song Contest - The Official History. Carlton Books, UK. 2007 ISBN 978-1-84442-994-3
- ^ Biblio.com entry for "Victoria Plum Annual by Rippon, Angela", accessed 19 December 2007
- ^ Amazon.co.uk search for "Angela Rippon"
- ^ http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Mucky-pup-lyrics-Exploited/A27AC9007FFCA74E482570E5000F8D6F
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