Magenta Devine, pioneer of ‘yoof TV’ dies aged 61
MAGENTA Devine – the stylish presenter of 80s ‘yoof’ television – has died aged 61 after a short illness.
She passed away yesterday morning at a central london hospital while undergoing treatment.
With her black bob, sunglasses and bold fashion sense, Devine made a huge impact on the small screen.
She was best known as the host of BBC Two’s Rough Guide travel series, which was initially part of Janet StreetPorter’s youth slot Def II.
She joined the programme in the 1990s and travelled the world to report on stories of interest to younger viewers.
Sankha Guha, who co-presented the Rough Guide and other shows with Devine, told the BBC that the broadcaster was ‘an icon for a generation who invited attention and sometimes hostility for her bold look and style’.
‘She used her public persona to tell stories about the world that mattered to her and inspired a whole generation to travel with a sense of adventure and an open mind,’ he said. Guha said he had known that Devine was ill but said ‘her death is a bodyblow. I have lost a soul mate and a partner in adventure’. Street-Porter paid tribute to her on Twitter, describing Devine as ‘a brilliant presenter, a one-off who always made everything we did together utterly memorable xxx’. Devine, whose real name was Kim Taylor, later hosted the BBC’s factual show, Reportage, covering issues such as the emergence of acid house music. Earlier in her career, she presented Channel 4’s cult youth and current affairs show Network 7, which was devised by Street-Porter and aired in 1987 and 1988. She also hosted ITV documentary series Young, Gifted and Broke from 1999 to 2001 and On Screen, a review programme for the BBC’s World Service Radio network.
In the early 2000, she appeared on programmes such as Richard & Judy and Extreme Celebrity Detox and also worked as a voiceover artist for television adverts and radio programmes.
In 2015, she narrated a BBC Four programme about the New Romantic movement.
She started out as a music promoter for her then partner Martin Degville’s band, Sigue Sigue Sputnik.
Tony James, from Sigue Sigue Sputnik and Generation X, wrote: ‘So sad to hear this news. You were an amazing extraordinary woman.’
Born in hemel hempstead, hertfordshire, in 1957, Devine was the daughter of a toy shop owner and ex-model.
In a statement, her family said she was ‘deeply loved for her extraordinary kindness and generosity’.
And they praised her as a ‘ talented writer and stylish on- screen presence who was greatly admired by her many friends and colleagues for her creativity and wit.’
The presenter, who had no children, is survived by her father, Gerald Taylor and her siblings Gillian, Georgina and Nicholas.
Devine also wrote articles on travel, media and popular culture for newspapers, including The Mail on Sunday and The Guardian.
She was treated for heroin addiction in the 1990s before being declared bankrupt in 2003.
Devine publicly revealed her struggles with depression, writing in the Daily Mail in 2007: ‘When I went into rehab, it was considered shameful to admit needing help for depression or drug addiction.
‘Now it is almost like a badge of honour for modern celebrities.’
In 1998, she was appointed as a UN Goodwill Ambassador and headed a campaign for women’s equality and reproductive rights.
‘An icon for a generation’