Giselle Fernández facts for kids

Giselle Fernández, born on May 15, 1961, is a well-known American television journalist. She works as an anchor for Spectrum News 1. You might have seen her on big TV shows like CBS Early Show, CBS Evening News, Today, and NBC Nightly News. She was also a regular host for Access Hollywood and even competed on Dancing with the Stars!

Early Life and Education

Giselle was born in Mexico City, Mexico. When she was four years old, her family moved to East Los Angeles in the United States. Her father was a flamenco dancer, and her mother studied Mexican folklore.

Giselle went to California State University, Sacramento. She graduated in 1982 with a degree in Journalism and Government. This education helped her start her exciting career in television.

Giselle's Journalism Career

Giselle Fernández began her television journey in 1983. She worked briefly at KRDO-TV in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After that, she moved to KEYT-TV in Santa Barbara, California.

Early Reporting Roles

In 1985, Giselle joined KTLA in Los Angeles. There, she worked as a reporter and a weekend anchor. Two years later, she moved to CBS-owned WBBM-TV in Chicago. In 1989, she joined WCIX, another CBS station, in Miami.

National News and Big Stories

In October 1991, Giselle got her first national news job with CBS News. She moved to New York City and became a correspondent. She also filled in as an anchor for morning, evening, and weekend news shows.

Later, she moved to NBC. At NBC, she anchored Weekend Today and the Sunday edition of NBC Nightly News. She also helped out on the Saturday edition. Giselle took on many special reporting assignments both in the U.S. and other countries.

During this time, Giselle covered many important events. She reported on the situation with Cuban immigration and problems in Haiti. She also covered the U.S. actions in Panama in 1989. Giselle reported on the trial of those involved in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. She even reported from the Persian Gulf War during a missile attack. She also had a special chance to interview Fidel Castro, who was the president of Cuba at the time.

Entertainment and Other Projects

From 1996 to 1999, Giselle was a co-host for Access Hollywood. This was an entertainment news show on NBC. After that, she co-hosted This Week in History on the History Channel.

In October 2001, Giselle returned to Los Angeles and rejoined KTLA. She left this job in August 2003 to work on other projects. These projects included making a movie and writing books for children. In 2004, her children's book, Gigi and the Birthday Ring, was published.

Giselle is also the president of her own company, Skinny Hippo Productions. She is also co-president of F Squared Productions. There, she helps develop film and television projects.

Current Work at Spectrum News

Giselle now works for Charter Communications' Spectrum News 1 Southern California. She anchored Your Morning on Spectrum News 1 for six years. This was since the channel first started in 2018. In August 2024, Giselle moved to an afternoon show. This new three-hour program is called Rush Hour. She also continues to host her Emmy-award winning weekly series, LA Stories.

Awards and Recognition

Giselle Fernández has won five Emmy Awards for her excellent journalism. In 2023, the Los Angeles Press Club gave her The President's Award for Impact on Media. This award recognized her important influence in the media world.

She is also a member of the Smithsonian National Board for Latino Initiatives. Giselle has also served on the board of trustees for the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. In 2006, she was named the year's Outstanding Philanthropist. This award was given by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Personal Life

Giselle met Ron Kershaw while she was working in Chicago. They were engaged, but sadly, Ron passed away. A month later, Giselle's father also passed away.

In 2002, Giselle married British executive John Farrand. He was the former CEO of Panavision, Inc. They had a daughter named Talei. The couple separated in April 2014.

In January 2006, Giselle participated as a contestant on the second season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with Jonathan Roberts. Giselle was the third contestant to be eliminated from the show.

See also

In Spanish: Giselle Fernández para niños