Kirsty Wark

BORN in Kilmarnock, she joined BBC Radio Scotland as a graduate in 1976 and has gone on to combine hard news with arts presenting.

After stints on Radio 4’s World At One and BBC1’s Breakfast Time, she joined Newsnight in October 199 . The 64-year-old also fronted the weekly arts show Newsnight Review, later The Review Show, and has made documentaries.

Married with two children, her debut novel, The Legacy Of Elizabeth Pringle, was published in 2014. She is a favourite to take over Radio 4’s Any Questions later this year after Jonathan Dimbleby stands down.