Clive Myrie

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Clive Myrie
BBC interviews Guantanamo's chief guard (cropped).jpg
Myrie with the chief guard at
Guantanamo Bay detention camp, 2004
Born (1964-08-25) 25 August 1964 (age 57)
Bolton, Lancashire, England
Alma materUniversity of Sussex
OccupationJournalist, presenter
Notable credit(s)
BBC News, BBC News at Five, BBC News at Ten, BBC News at Six, Beyond 100 Days

Clive Myrie (born 25 August 1964) is a British journalist, newsreader and presenter who works for the BBC. He is the host of the long-running BBC quiz shows Mastermind and Celebrity Mastermind.[1]

Early life[]

Myrie was born on 25 August 1964 in Bolton, Lancashire, England, to Jamaican immigrant parents. His mother was a seamstress who later worked for Mary Berry, while his father was a factory worker who made car batteries.[2] His parents are divorced, and his father returned to Jamaica following his retirement. Myrie was educated at Hayward Grammar School in his home town of Bolton, followed by Bolton Sixth Form College, where he completed his A-levels. He was a student at the University of Sussex, from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1985.[2][3]

Career[]

Myrie joined the BBC in 1987 as a trainee local radio reporter,[4] on the corporation's graduate journalism programme.[2] His first assignment was as a reporter for Radio Bristol in 1988, returning to the BBC after a year with Independent Radio News. He then reported for Points West, and latterly BBC Television and Radio News.

In 1996, he became a BBC foreign correspondent and has since reported from more than 80 countries. He initially became the BBC's Tokyo correspondent, and was then the Los Angeles correspondent from 1997 to 1999. He was appointed a BBC Asia Correspondent in 2002 and was Paris correspondent from 2006 to 2007. His career has encompassed major stories such as the impeachment of U.S. President Bill Clinton, and wars in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. During the invasion of Iraq by coalition forces in March 2003, Myrie was an embedded correspondent with 40 Commando Royal Marines, joining them initially on HMS Ocean and subsequently during operations on the Al-Faw Peninsula.

After latterly serving as Europe correspondent based in Brussels,[2] he was appointed a presenter on the BBC News Channel in April 2009, replacing the retired Chris Lowe.[5] Since joining BBC News, Myrie has presented the BBC Weekend News and weekend editions of BBC News at Ten and BBC Breakfast, both on BBC One. In June 2014, he began presenting weekday bulletins on BBC One.

In September 2010, Myrie broke the story that ETA had declared a unilateral ceasefire after he met an ETA operative in Paris, who handed over a tape of the organisation's leaders making the declaration.[6]

He has presented the 18:30-to-midnight slot, Monday to Thursday, on the BBC News Channel. During the 2015 general election, he was the main presenter of Election Tonight at 19:30 and 21:30. Since 2019, Myrie has focused on BBC One network bulletins with the evening shift presented by a set of relief presenters.

Myrie reported extensively from Kathmandu on the earthquake that struck the city on 25 April 2015, including the rescues of two Nepali citizens who were found alive under two collapsed buildings on 30 April 2015.[7] In October 2017, Myrie visited Bangladesh to report on the Rohingya refugee crisis.[8]

Myrie has occasionally presented on BBC World News, including World News Today, World News America and the 2016 US election. He appeared as a guest on BBC One's Have I Got News for You on 15 April 2016. In September 2017, Myrie appeared as a panellist on Richard Osman's House of Games gameshow.[9] He has also presented with Katty Kay the current affairs programme Beyond 100 Days.[10]

In 2019, Myrie began presenting the BBC News at Six and BBC News at Ten on alternate Fridays with Sophie Raworth following the departure of Fiona Bruce to Question Time. He now presents the BBC News at Ten on Fridays and in the absence of Huw Edwards.

On 22 March 2021, it was announced that Myrie would become the new host of the flagship BBC Two quiz show Mastermind and its BBC One spin-off show, Celebrity Mastermind, following John Humphrys' decision to leave after 18 years.[1] Myrie made his debut as host on 23 August 2021.[11] In November 2021, he featured as a guest participant in an episode of the BBC Two programme Celebrity Antiques Road Trip with fellow newsreader Reeta Chakrabarti.[citation needed]

Myrie is also host of a Jazz FM documentary series called The Definitive History of Jazz In Britain, scheduled for broadcasting over 10 weeks from 4 April to 6 June 2021.[12][13]

Personal life[]

Myrie is married[2] to Catherine Myrie, an upholsterer and restorer of furniture.[14] According to Myrie his wife "gave me the courage and space to pursue my dreams."[15][better source needed]

He enjoys going to the cinema and his favourite types of music are opera and dubstep.[16] Myrie is a supporter of Manchester City.[17]

Myrie has experienced racist abuse, which has included death threats, and being the recipient of a card, with a gorilla on the front, which read: "We don't want people like you on our TV screens."[18]

Awards[]

Myrie has won several nominations for his work, most significantly for his role in the Bafta-nominated BBC team behind coverage of the Mozambique floods in 2000.[19][20] He was awarded the Bayeux-Calvados Award for war correspondents for his reporting of ethnic violence on the island of Borneo.[4]

In 2016, he received an honorary doctorate from Staffordshire University.[19] In 2019, the University of Sussex awarded him a "Doctor of the University" degree.[21]

In the RTS Television Journalism Awards 2021, Myrie was named both "Television Journalist of the Year" and "Network Presenter of the Year",[22] winning the accolades "for his versatile, measured and compelling style".[23]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Marsh, Sarah (22 March 2021). "Clive Myrie to replace John Humphrys as Mastermind host". The Guardian.
  2. ^ a b c d e Burrell, Ian (16 February 2009). "Clive Myrie: The man who took over Sir Trevor McDonald's mantle". The Independent. London. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  3. ^ "Clive Myrie: Spotlight on: alumni stories". www.sussex.ac.uk.
  4. ^ a b "Clive Myrie, BBC correspondent". Newswatch. BBC News. 14 July 2006. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  5. ^ Plunkett, John (14 April 2009). "Clive Myrie to be presenter on BBC News channel". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 7 May 2009.
  6. ^ "Eta ceasefire scoop: how the BBC got the story". BBC News. 6 September 2010.
  7. ^ "Nepal earthquake: Two rescued after five days". BBC News. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  8. ^ "Rohingya killed 'house by house' killings". BBC News. 18 October 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  9. ^ "Episode 6, Series 1, Richard Osman's House of Games – Credits – BBC Two". BBC. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  10. ^ "Beyond 100 Days". BBC News. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  11. ^ Singh, Anita (23 August 2021). "Mastermind is in safe hands with new host Clive Myrie". The Telegraph. Retrieved 23 August 2021 – via www.telegraph.co.uk. Myrie did a fine job in his first show since taking over from former presenter John Humphrys
  12. ^ "Jazz FM presents The Definitive History of Jazz in Britain series hosted by Clive Myrie". Jazzwise. 17 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  13. ^ "History of jazz series planned for Jazz FM". Radio Today. March 2021.
  14. ^ "Who is Clive Myrie's wife? BBC Presenter next pick for Mastermind host". 23 March 2021.
  15. ^ In an interview with his alma mater, the University Of Sussex
  16. ^ "Clive Myrie". tvnewsroom.org. Retrieved 7 May 2009.
  17. ^ "Clive Myrie". Twitter. Retrieved 31 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ Busby, Mattha (20 June 2020). "Clive Myrie details racist abuse he receives as BBC News presenter". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  19. ^ a b "Honorary graduates | Clive Myrie". Staffordshire University. 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  20. ^ "Clive Myrie". Performing Artistes. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  21. ^ Allen, Stephanie (22 January 2019). "'Doctor of the University' degree to be awarded to Sussex alumnus and BBC broadcaster, Clive Myrie". University of Sussex. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  22. ^ Singh, Anita (22 March 2021). "Clive Myrie named as new Mastermind host". The Telegraph.
  23. ^ "The winners of the RTS Television Journalism Awards 2021 have been announced". Royal Televisionn Society. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.

External links[]

Media offices
Preceded by
?
 World Affairs Correspondent: BBC News
?–? 		Incumbent
Preceded by Host of Mastermind
2021–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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