Kirsty Wark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kirsty Wark
FRSE
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Wark in 2008
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| Born |
Kirsteen Anne Wark
3 February 1955 Dumfries, Scotland
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| Education | Wellington School, Ayr |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
| Occupation | Television journalist |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Employer | BBC |
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Notable credit(s)
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Newsnight |
| Spouse(s) |
Alan Clements
(m. 1989) |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | BAFTA Fellowship (2025) |
Kirsteen Anne Wark (born 3 February 1955) is a Scottish television presenter and journalist. She has had a long and successful career working for the BBC.
Kirsty Wark started her journey at BBC Radio Scotland. She became a producer there, helping to create radio shows. Later, she moved to television. She presented popular shows like The Late Show and Newsnight. She also hosted her own interview program.
Throughout her career, Kirsty has covered many important events. She reported on the Lockerbie bombings, a major news story. She also hosted a fun book quiz and helped people talk openly about menopause, which is a natural change in women's health. She even showed off her cooking skills on The Great British Bake Off, where she was named Star Baker!
Kirsty Wark is known for her strong and detailed interview style. She has won several awards for her work. These include being named journalist of the year by BAFTA Scotland in 1993. She also won Best Television Presenter in 1997. In 2025, she received the special BAFTA Fellowship award.
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Early Life and Education
Kirsty Wark was born in Dumfries, Scotland. Her father, James Wark, was a lawyer, and her mother, Roberta Wark, was a teacher. Kirsty spent her early years in Castle Douglas before her family moved to Kilmarnock. She has one younger brother.
Her father was a brave soldier in the Second World War. He was even awarded a special medal for his heroism. Kirsty went to school in Kilmarnock and then to Wellington School in Ayr. After school, she studied history at the University of Edinburgh. She focused on Scottish history during her studies.
Kirsty Wark's Career Journey
Kirsty Wark began her career at the BBC in 1976. She started as a researcher for BBC Radio Scotland. A year later, she was promoted to producer. She worked on shows like Good Morning Scotland and other news programs.
Moving to Television
In 1982, Kirsty made the switch to television. She produced shows like Reporting Scotland and Agenda. Soon after, she started presenting shows herself. She hosted Reporting Scotland, Seven Days, and Left, Right, and Centre. She also joined the presenting team for Breakfast Time.
In 1988, Kirsty was one of the first reporters to cover the Lockerbie bombings. This was a very important and sad news event. In 1990, she interviewed Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. This interview showed her unique way of asking tough questions.
Kirsty also presented arts programs like The Late Show from 1990 to 1993. She hosted Words with Wark and The Kirsty Wark Show, where she interviewed many different people. From 1993 to 2024, she was a main presenter on the BBC program Newsnight.
Beyond Presenting: Production and Other Shows
During the 1990s, Kirsty Wark also produced many programs through her own company, Wark Clements & Co. These shows included Words With Wark and Restless Nation.
In 2006, she presented a BBC series called Tales from Old Europe. She also interviewed famous playwright Harold Pinter. Kirsty even made a small appearance in the TV show Doctor Who in 2008. She hosted quiz shows like The Book Quiz and A Question of Genius. In 2011, she hosted a food quiz show called A Question of Taste.
Special Appearances and Important Topics
Kirsty Wark took part in Celebrity MasterChef in 2011. She reached the final but just missed out on winning. In 2012, she appeared as herself in the comedy show Absolutely Fabulous. In 2013, she was on a special series of The Great British Bake Off and was named Star Baker.
Kirsty has openly discussed her experience with menopause. In 2017, she made a BBC documentary called Let's talk about the menopause. She wanted to help women understand this natural part of life better.
In 2018, Kirsty had a notable interview with a journalist from Russia Today (RT). She questioned if RT was a "propaganda tool" for the Russian government. The interview ended because of these questions.
Since 2020, Kirsty has presented the BBC Radio 4 series The Reunion. She has also presented Start the Week on BBC Radio 4 sometimes. In 2021, she was one of the main presenters for the BBC's election results coverage.
Leaving Newsnight
On October 19, 2023, the BBC announced that Kirsty would be leaving Newsnight. Her last day on the show was Friday, July 12, 2024. During her final program, many people, including actor Alan Cumming, paid tribute to her. They celebrated her 30 years of amazing work on Newsnight.
Awards and Recognition
Kirsty Wark has received many awards for her journalism. She was named journalist of the year by BAFTA Scotland in 1993. In 1997, she won Best Television Presenter. She was also nominated for the prestigious Richard Dimbleby Award in 2000.
In March 2017, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This is a special honor for people who have made important contributions. In June 2023, the University of St Andrews gave her an honorary Doctor of Letters degree. This was to recognize her outstanding career in journalism.
On May 11, 2025, Kirsty Wark received the BAFTA Fellowship. This is the highest honor BAFTA can give to someone. The CEO of BAFTA, Jane Millichip, praised Kirsty's dedication to telling important stories. She said Kirsty's ability to inform and engage people is truly inspiring.
Books Written by Kirsty Wark
Kirsty Wark is also an author. She has written two novels: The Legacy Of Elizabeth Pringle and The House By The Loch.
Personal Life
Kirsty Wark married television producer Alan Clements in 1989. They met while working on a BBC Scotland program. They have a daughter, born in 1990, and a son, born in 1992. The family lives in Kelvinside, Glasgow.
In 1990, Kirsty and Alan started their own TV production company called Wark-Clements. This company later merged with another to form IWC Media. Kirsty and Alan left IWC Media in 2005.
