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Kate Thornton

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Kate Thornton
Born (1973-02-07) 7 February 1973 (age 51)
Occupation(s)Television presenter, journalist
Years active1995–present
TelevisionDon't Try This at Home! (1998–2001)
The X Factor (2004–2006)
Loose Women (2009–2011)
This Morning (2009–2012)
71 Degrees North (2010)
PartnerDarren Emerson (2004–2011)
Children1

Kate Thornton (born 7 February 1973)[1] is an English journalist and broadcaster, best known as the first presenter of The X Factor (2004–2006) and for presenting daytime shows including Loose Women (2009–2011) and This Morning (2009–2012). In 2010, she co-presented the first series of 71 Degrees North alongside Gethin Jones.

Career

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Journalism

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In 1995, at 21[2] she became the youngest editor of pop magazine Smash Hits. She left a year later, having been unable to prevent a further slide in sales of the magazine.[3] In 1997, she became a Features Editor at the Sunday Times, a post she held until 2001, and also a contributing Editor for magazine Marie Claire, in which position she continued until 2003.[4]

Television

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Whilst undertaking these new editorial roles, Thornton began a second career in television. In February 1997, Thornton was given her first TV presenting job, on the ITV current affairs programme Straight Up. She was tasked with putting together a photo tribute with music for Princess Diana on the day of her death. In an interview in March 2011, Thornton said: "...because it was a Sunday, the music library was shut and the only thing I had in my car, the only piece of music that was appropriate was "Candle in the Wind" from Elton John's greatest hits." Colleagues attributed the subsequent airplay and then the re-recording of the song to this event. Thornton is quoted as having been doubtful initially, but later having come to accept the possibility: "I never dared to assume for one minute that I was the link. But Nick Knowles (co-presenter on the show) has convinced me that whatever came as a result of it was all down to me."[5]

Thornton was the first presenter of the UK series of The X Factor. She presented three series of the show from 2004 until 2006 before being replaced by Dermot O'Leary. Thornton later anchored ITV's daytime series Loose Women, in rotation with Andrea McLean. She presented 233 episodes of the show from 2009. She, and fellow Loose Woman Zoë Tyler, were replaced in 2011 by Carol Vorderman and Sally Lindsay.[6]

Thornton was a regular stand-in presenter on This Morning and in 2010, she co-presented the first series of 71 Degrees North alongside Gethin Jones. Neither returned for the second series. In 2010, she narrated The Nation's Favourite Abba Song. Thornton also presented A Night with Will Young in 2011. She guest presented six episodes of Lorraine in 2012.

Thornton also presented Gravity Games for BBC Two, Women: The Naked Truth Honest for Channel 4 and Breasts Uncupped for Sky1.[4]

She currently hosts The Royal Beat - a topical royal chat show - on True Royalty TV, which is available via Amazon Prime and Apple TV. According to the blurb on the official website: “Every episode goes behind the headlines to bring to viewers fresh, detailed insight into the biggest royal stories from the UK and around the world.”

Radio

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Thornton has presented a number of programmes for BBC Radio 2 since 2002. Along with presenting, Thornton was also the writer of the radio documentary From Band to Brand in 2004, and the creator of the radio series Line of Enquiry, inviting an audience to put questions to a number of celebrities, which began in 2007.[4]

From 10 March until 28 April 2013, Thornton presented The Boots Feel Good Forum, a radio show dedicated to health and fitness, which aired on Real Radio and Smooth Radio.[7]

In 2014, Thornton presented Paper Cuts, a radio series for BBC Radio 2. The show ran for four series and Thornton would chat to celebrities about the headlines they had been involved in. The first guest was Craig Revel Horwood.

She joined Greatest Hits Radio on 26 February 2022, where she broadcasts every Saturday and Sunday.[8] She is to take over the station's afternoon show from November 2024.

Other work

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Thornton launched cashback site TBSeen in January 2016,[9] along with TV presenters Myleene Klass, Amanda Byram and Denise Van Outen, celebrity chef Lisa Faulkner, actresses Tamzin Outhwaite, Julie Graham and singers Heidi Range and the band All Saints, Nicole Appleton, Natalie Appleton, Mel Blatt and Shaznay Lewis. TBSeen entered administration in September 2018.[10]

Thornton hosted the live Strictly Come Dancing tour in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013.[citation needed]

In 2019 Kate launched "White Wine Question Time", a podcast that sees her sit down with a celebrity guest each week to ask them three thought provoking questions over three glasses of wine. The podcast first aired in January 2019 with guests Heidi Range, Lisa Faulkner and Angela Griffin.[11] There are currently over 300 episodes in the back catalogue featuring the likes of HRH Princess Eugenie, actress Hannah Waddingham, award winning singer Raye and a host of household names.

During the UK's COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, she also created and hosted "Up Close And Socially Distant", a video series for Yahoo!, where she talked over video call to famous celebrities, front line workers and those leading initiatives to help serve the community during lockdown.[12] The show ran for nine weeks and won a Silver Lovie award.[13]

Personal life

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Thornton began dating DJ Darren Emerson in 2004.[14] The couple became engaged in 2007. She gave birth in 2008.[15] The relationship with Emerson ended in 2011.[16]

In January 2012, Thornton said that after leaving Loose Women she had enrolled at college to study counselling because her television career had "hit the kerb".[17]

Filmography

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Television
Year Title Role
1998–1999 Top of the Pops Presenter
Dishes
The Power List
1998–2000 The Kate and Jono Show Co-presenter
Don't Try This at Home Presenter
This Morning Reporter
2000 The TV BAFTAs Presenter
2001 The Brits are Coming
The Brits: Backstage
BAFTA Children's Awards
2001–2002 The Ideal Home Show
2001–2003 Pop Idol: Extra
Holiday – You Call the Shots
2002 Lad's Army
2003 VH-1's Behind the Movies: Top Gun Narrator[18]
2004 American Idol Guest
Westlife - She's The One Host
2004–2006 The X Factor Presenter
2005 Celebrity Wrestling Co-presenter
Happy Birthday Elton John Presenter
Greatest Britons Presenter
2007 Britain's Classroom Heroes Co-presenter
Royal Variety Performance
2008 Countdown to Midnight: Take That Live Presenter
Don't Miss a Trick Presenter
Hello Goodbye
Elton's New Year's Eve Party
2009–2011 Loose Women Presenter
2009–2012,2018 This Morning Relief presenter
2010 71 Degrees North Co-presenter
The Nation's Favourite Abba Song Narrator
2011 A Night with Will Young Presenter
2011, 2012 This Morning's Hub[broken anchor] Relief presenter
2012 Lorraine Guest presenter
2018 The One Show Presenter of special segment on Smash Hits
2019 Richard Osman's House of Games Panellist
2021 Celebrity Mastermind Contestant
2023 The Hit List Contestant
TBA The Royal Beat Presenter[19]
Radio
Year Title Role Network Notes
2005–2020 Let's Talk Presenter BBC Newcastle Regular presenter
2011 Going Out with Alan Carr Stand-in presenter BBC Radio 2
2013 The Boots Feel Good Forum Presenter Real Radio & Smooth Radio 1 series
2014–2016, 2019 Paper Cuts BBC Radio 2 4 series (2014–2016) Christmas Special (2019)
2015 Magic's Music of My Life Magic 1 series
2017 Saturday Breakfast Stand-in presenter BBC Radio 2
Kate Thornton's 90s Presenter One-off special
2017–2019 The Zoe Ball Show Stand-in presenter
2022–2024 Saturday Nights Presenter Greatest Hits Radio
2023-present Weekend Anthems
2023–2024 The Smash Hits Years
2024–present Saturday Afternoons
2024–present The UK Pop 40

References

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  1. ^ a b "Kate Thornton. Biography, news, photos and videos". Hello Magazine. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  2. ^ "Kate Thornton opens up about her menopause journey and shares inspiring tips for midlife". Yahoo!. 16 October 2023.
  3. ^ About Smash Hits! Archived 2 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine Smash Hits Pop Channel website
  4. ^ a b c Kate Thornton CV at Troika Talent PDF file accessed September 2011
  5. ^ Kate Thornton: Single motherhood, guilt and why she worries about Kate Middleton, Interview by Marianne Kavanagh.
  6. ^ "Carol Vorderman, Sally Lindsay tipped for 'Loose Women'". Digital Spy. 13 July 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  7. ^ West, Gillian (8 March 2013). "Boots UK launches radio and online programme hosted by Kate Thornton". The Drum. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  8. ^ Kate Thornton: Kate Thornton: All your questions on the Greatest Hits Radio presenter answered.
  9. ^ Julia Llewellyn Smith (2 January 2016). "TV presenter Kate Thornton's new venture that could save you money". The Daily Telegraph.
  10. ^ "Cashback Site TBSeen Goes Into Administration". Skint Dad. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  11. ^ "White Wine Question Time Episode List on imdb". www.itunescharts.net. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  12. ^ "Yahoo UK launches new series: Up Close and Socially Distant". www.inpublishing.co.uk. 14 April 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  13. ^ "THE 10th ANNUAL LOVIE AWARDS UNVEILS WINNERS and SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT HONOUREES". November 2020.
  14. ^ Melanie Swan. Joy of X. The People. 29 October 2006.
  15. ^ McGrath, Nick (29 December 2019). "Kate Thornton: For a loose woman, I'm obsessed with saving". Retrieved 4 January 2020 – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  16. ^ Mirror.co.uk (4 February 2011). "Kate Thornton tells Loose Women of her split from fiance Darren Emerson". The Mirror. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Axed Kate Goes Back To School". HuffPost UK. 10 January 2012.
  18. ^ Doug Rittenhouse (2003). Behind The Movies - Top Gun (Television production). VH1. Event occurs at 40:34. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  19. ^ "ITV Announces Three New Weekend Commissions". itv.com/presscentre. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
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