Janet Street-Porter facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Janet Street-Porter CBE
Street-Porter on Loose Women in 2024
Born	Janet Vera Bull (1946-12-27) 27 December 1946 (age 78) Brentford, Middlesex, England
Education	Lady Margaret School
Alma mater	Architectural Association School of Architecture
Occupation	Broadcaster journalist writer producer media personality
Years active	1967–present
Spouse(s)	Tim Street-Porter ​ ​ (m. 1967; div. 1975)​ Tony Elliott ​ ​ (m. 1975; div. 1977)​ Frank Cvitanovich ​ ​ (m. 1979; div. 1981)​ David Sorkin ​ ​ (m. 1997; div. 1999)​
Partner(s)	Peter Spanton (1999–present)

Janet Vera Street-Porter is a well-known English broadcaster, journalist, and writer. She was born Janet Vera Bull on December 27, 1946. She is famous for her unique voice and strong opinions.

Janet started her career in 1969 as a fashion writer for the Daily Mail. Later, she became the fashion editor for the Evening Standard. In 1973, she co-hosted a radio show on LBC.

She began working in television in 1975 at London Weekend Television. She presented many youth-focused shows. In 1987, she became the editor and producer of Network 7 on Channel 4. She also worked as an executive at BBC Television from 1987 to 1994.

From 1999 to 2002, she was an editor for The Independent on Sunday newspaper. Since 2011, Janet has been a regular panel member on the ITV talk show Loose Women. She has also appeared on shows like Question Time and Have I Got News for You.

In 2016, Janet Street-Porter was given a special award called Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This award recognized her important work in journalism and broadcasting.

Early Life and Education

Janet Street-Porter was born in Brentford, Middlesex, England. Her father, Stanley W. G. Bull, was an electrical engineer. Her mother, Cherry Cuff Ardern, was Welsh and worked as a school dinner lady.

Janet grew up in Fulham, West London, and Perivale, Middlesex. For holidays, her family often visited her mother's hometown in North Wales. She went to Peterborough Primary and Junior Schools. Then she attended Lady Margaret Grammar School for Girls.

She studied English, History, and Art at school. After that, she spent two years at the Architectural Association School of Architecture. There, she met her first husband, Tim Street-Porter.

Janet Street-Porter's Career

Janet began her career as a fashion writer. She worked for the Daily Mail newspaper. In 1969, she became the newspaper's deputy fashion editor. Later, in 1971, she was appointed fashion editor of the Evening Standard.

When the London Broadcasting Company started in 1973, Janet co-hosted a radio show. She worked with Fleet Street columnist Paul Callan. Their different accents became well-known.

In 1975, Janet helped launch Sell Out magazine. This was a spin-off from Time Out magazine.

Television Work

Street-Porter at London Victoria station in 2005

Janet started working in television at London Weekend Television (LWT) in 1975. She was a reporter on youth-focused shows like The London Weekend Show. She also presented the chat show Saturday Night People. Later, she produced Twentieth Century Box.

In 1987, Janet became the editor of the Network 7 series on Channel 4. In the same year, she became head of youth and entertainment features at BBC Two. She helped create popular shows like Red Dwarf. Her Network 7 show won a BAFTA award for its graphics in 1988.

In 1992, Janet helped create the story for The Vampyr: A Soap Opera. This was a BBC adaptation of an opera. In 1994, she left the BBC to work for Mirror Group Newspapers. She helped manage the L!VE TV channel. She left in 1995.

Since 1996, Janet has run her own production company. She has appeared many times on the BBC show Have I Got News for You. She was also a regular guest on Question Time.

In 2007, Janet starred in an ITV2 reality show called Deadline. She played a tough editor who worked with celebrity reporters.

Since 2011, Janet has been a regular panel member on ITV's chat show Loose Women. In 2013, she competed on Celebrity MasterChef and reached the final three. She won a Christmas special of the show in 2020. She also appeared on the show QI. From 2014, she co-hosted the BBC One cooking show A Taste of Britain.

Janet has appeared on many reality TV shows. These include Call Me a Cabbie and So You Think You Can Teach. In the latter, she tried working as a primary school teacher.

Newspaper Work

Janet Street-Porter became editor of The Independent on Sunday newspaper in 1999. Under her leadership, the paper's circulation increased. In 2001, she became its editor-at-large. She also wrote a weekly column and other articles for the paper.

Other Activities

Janet Street-Porter is a keen rambler, which means she enjoys long walks in the countryside. She was the president of the Ramblers' Association for two years starting in 1994. In 1998, she walked across Britain for a TV series called Coast to Coast. She also walked from Edinburgh to London in a straight line for another TV series and her book, As the Crow Flies.

In 1966, Janet appeared as an extra in the film Blowup. In 2003, she wrote and performed a one-woman show at the Edinburgh Festival. She published her autobiography, Baggage, in 2004. This book was about her childhood in London. She also wrote a book called Life's Too F***ing Short.

Personal Life

The Clerkenwell house designed for Janet Street-Porter by Piers Gough in 1987.

Janet Street-Porter has been married four times. She has no children. She currently lives in Haddiscoe in Norfolk. She also has homes in Kent and London. She used to live in Nidderdale, North Yorkshire. She was active in the Nidderdale community. She led a campaign for a bridge over the River Wharfe.

Health

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Janet often appeared on This Morning. She discussed government decisions from her home in Kent.

In January 2020, Janet was diagnosed with basal-cell carcinoma. This is a type of skin cancer. She shared this news on Loose Women in June 2020.

Filmography

Television

Film

Honours and Awards

Janet Street-Porter was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2016. This was for her contributions to journalism and broadcasting.