Thomas Matthew Bradby (born 13 January 1967) is a British journalist and novelist who currently presents the ITV News at Ten. He was previously political editor for ITV News from 2005 to 2015,[1] and presented The Agenda with Tom Bradby, a political discussion series, from 2012 to 2016.

Tom Bradby
Born
Thomas Matthew Bradby

(1967-01-13) 13 January 1967 (age 57)
NationalityBritish
EducationWestbourne House School
Sherborne School
Alma materUniversity of Edinburgh
Occupation(s)Presenter and journalist
Years active1990–present
Employer(s)ITN
ITV
Notable workITV News at Ten
The Agenda with Tom Bradby
Spouse
Claudia Hill-Norton
(m. 1994)
Children3
WebsiteWebsite

Early life and education

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Bradby's father served in the Royal Navy and as a result he was born in Malta in 1967. He is an only child, and both parents are described by him as exemplary.[2][3] After a short spell in Northern Ireland, growing up in Newry, County Down and Bangor, County Down, he moved to Great Britain where he was raised in Bracknell, Berkshire. He was privately educated at Westbourne House School and Sherborne School, before studying history at the University of Edinburgh.[4][5]

Career

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Bradby has worked for ITN, producer of ITV News, since 1990 when he joined the organisation as an editorial trainee. He subsequently became producer for ITV's political editor Michael Brunson in 1992.[6]

From 1993 to 1996, Bradby was ITV's Ireland correspondent, reporting on events including the Northern Ireland peace process, the IRA ceasefire and Bill Clinton's visit to Ireland in November 1995. Bradby later became ITV's Asia correspondent from 1999 to 2001. In October 1999, he was shot and injured whilst covering the riots in Jakarta against the newly elected President, Abdurrahman Wahid: he keeps a framed photograph of the day.[7]

Bradby returned to Britain and began a stint as royal correspondent, covering a number of key stories, including the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, as well as the deaths of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. He later became UK editor and then political editor, taking on the role in 2005.[8]

On 16 November 2010, Bradby carried out the first official interview of Prince William and Kate Middleton at St James's Palace after the couple's engagement was announced. It was reported that Bradby was chosen specifically to conduct the interview owing to a long-standing acquaintance with Prince William.[9] He subsequently attended their wedding as a guest.[10] In 2021, it was reported that Prince William had cut Bradby off for "siding with Harry" after the Megxit affair.[11] Bradby had worked on a 2016 BBC documentary about Prince Harry's charity work in Lesotho and got to know him fairly intimately.[12]

Bradby has since transitioned from reporter to presenter for a variety of programmes: In February 2012, ITV launched a weekly political discussion programme, The Agenda, hosted by Bradby; in August 2013, Bradby presented an edition of News at Ten for the first time; and in May 2015, he presented ITV's main coverage of the 2015 general election. In October 2015, Bradby took over as the main newscaster of the flagship News at Ten.[13]

In June 2016, Bradby led live coverage of the EU Referendum 2016 for ITV News.[14]

In November 2020, Bradby led through the night coverage of the US presidential election 2020 for ITV News, live from Washington, D.C.[15]

On 17 April 2021, Bradby co-presented ITV's coverage of the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh with Julie Etchingham.[16]

Bradby's interview with Prince Harry, Harry: The Interview, was broadcast on 8 January 2023 in advance of the publication of Harry's memoir, Spare.[17]

On 6 May 2023, Bradby co-presented with Julie Etchingham ITV's coverage of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.[18]

Publications

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Bradby has written ten novels:

  • Shadow Dancer (1998) ISBN 0-552-14586-6
  • The Sleep of the Dead (2001) ISBN 0-552-14587-4
  • The Master of Rain (2002) ISBN 0-552-14746-X
  • The White Russian (2003) ISBN 0-552-14900-4
  • The God of Chaos (2004) ISBN 0-593-05267-6
  • Blood Money (2009) ISBN 0-552-15308-7
  • Secret Service (2019) ISBN 9781787632035
  • Double Agent (2020) ISBN 9781787632370
  • Triple Cross (2021) ISBN 9780552177863
  • Yesterday's Spy (2022) ISBN 9780552175548

Shadow Dancer was adapted by Bradby into a film of the same name starring Clive Owen and Andrea Riseborough in 2012.[19] It premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.[19]

Bradby wrote the ITV drama The Great Fire, broadcast in 2014.

Personal life

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In 1994, Bradby married Claudia, the daughter of vice-admiral Sir Nicholas Hill-Norton. Bradby lives in Houghton, Hampshire with Claudia, a jewellery designer, and their three children.[4][20] Bradby stated in 2007 that he is apolitical with no "coherent set of political views".[4] The couple attended in a personal capacity, both of the individual weddings of Prince William and Prince Harry. Kate Middleton (as she was) professionally collaborated with Claudia on a jewellery design.[21][22]

References

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  1. ^ "Bradby named ITV political editor". BBC News. 13 July 2005. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
  2. ^ "Interview | Tom Bradby". www.januarymagazine.com. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  3. ^ Stephenson, Hannah (4 June 2020). "How ITV news anchor Tom Bradby's 'massive meltdown' changed his outlook on life". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Tom Bradby: Smooth operator". The Independent. London. 12 March 2007. Archived from the original on 24 August 2011.
  5. ^ Scott Hughes (22 October 2011). "CV: Tom Bradby - Political Correspondent, ITN". The Independent. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Tom Bradby, smooth operator". The Independent. 22 February 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  7. ^ Bryony Gordon (15 March 2011). "Tom Bradby: Whitehall's Prince Charming". The Independent. London.
  8. ^ "Tom Bradby". ITV News. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  9. ^ Plunkett, John (16 October 2010). "ITV's Tom Bradby beats rivals to first William and Kate interview". The Guardian. London.
  10. ^ "Royal wedding: Guest list offers a glimpse of the court of King William". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  11. ^ Humphries, Will (8 April 2021). "William 'cuts off Tom Bradby for taking Harry's side'". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  12. ^ Bradby, Tom (19 December 2016). "Prince Harry In Africa Documentary 2016". BBC.
  13. ^ "Tom Bradby to become main presenter of ITV's News at Ten". The Guardian. London. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  14. ^ Mayhew, Freddy (23 June 2016). "Boulton, Dimbleby and Bradby host EU referendum result all-nighters for Sky, BBC and ITV". Press Gazette. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  15. ^ Bradby, Tom (3 November 2020). "US election: The key moments to watch out for - and when we might get a result". ITV News. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  16. ^ "Prince Philip - A Royal Funeral - Watch episodes - ITV Hub". Archived from the original on 17 April 2021.
  17. ^ Miranda Bryant (2 January 2023). "Prince Harry: I would like my father and my brother back". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  18. ^ "King Charles III: The Coronation". itv.com/presscentre. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  19. ^ a b "Shadow Dancer: Sundance Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  20. ^ "Tom Bradbury's quiet life in charming Hampshire village where house prices are £1million | Express.co.uk". www.express.co.uk. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Tom Bradby from ITV News with his wife Claudia exit following the..." Getty Images. 29 April 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  22. ^ "TV man's wife designs jewellery". standard.co.uk. 12 April 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
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Media offices
Preceded by Main Newscaster: ITV News at Ten
2015–present
Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by Political Editor: ITV News
2005–2015
Succeeded by