Lorraine Kelly, broadcaster

Nov 30, 2025

In this engaging conversation, Lorraine Kelly, a revered journalist and long-time broadcaster, shares insights from her 40-year career. She reflects on her journey from a young reporter in East Kilbride to hosting her own show. Lorraine discusses the role of music in her life, recalling how David Bowie's tunes helped her connect with friends. She opens up about the emotional impact of reporting tragedies like Piper Alpha and Dunblane, highlighting her commitment to trust in journalism. Lorraine also expresses concerns about media access for working-class individuals.

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ADVICE

Treat Interviewees With Respect

Treat everyone the same and show respect when you interview people.
Let people speak because they often reveal more than if you hectored them.

ANECDOTE

Bowie Made Her Feel Seen

David Bowie fandom gave Lorraine a sense of belonging at school and helped her make friends.
She embroidered his name on her coat and felt personally spoken to by his songs.

ANECDOTE

Bootcamp Journalism At A Local Paper

Lorraine described learning every part of local reporting at the East Kilbride News, from baby competitions to council meetings.
She recalled inky fingers and hot-metal typesetting as formative, hands-on training.

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Lorraine Kelly is a journalist and broadcaster who has been a mainstay of daytime television for over 40 years. She has hosted her own show Lorraine since its launch in 2010 and she was awarded a lifetime achievement BAFTA in 2024.

Lorraine was born in Glasgow and later moved with her family to the new town of East Kilbride. She became a junior reporter at the East Kilbride News when she was in her teens and in 1983 joined the BBC as a researcher.

In 1984 she started at TV-am as a reporter covering Scottish news. During her time there she reported on some of the biggest stories in the UK including the Piper Alpha disaster and the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie.

In January 1990 she became a co-presenter of Good Morning Britain on TV-am alongside Mike Morris. In 1996 Lorraine and Eamonn Holmes reported for GMTV on the Dunblane school shooting in which sixteen pupils and their teacher were killed. The tragedy left a lasting impact on Lorraine, who formed a lasting bond with several affected families. She returned to Dunblane in 2021 to mark the 25th anniversary with a commemorative documentary.

Lorraine lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband Steve.

DISC ONE: Starman - Davie Bowie DISC TWO: Mama Said - Dusty Springfield DISC THREE: Careful - Horse DISC FOUR: Rock the Casbah - The Clash DISC FIVE: Truth - Hue & Cry DISC SIX: Warm Leatherette - Grace Jones DISC SEVEN: Love is All Around - Wet Wet Wet DISC EIGHT: That’s When He Told Her - The Proclaimers

BOOK CHOICE: South: The Last Antarctic Expedition of Shackleton and the Endurance by Sir Ernest Shackleton LUXURY ITEM: A solar-powered digital photo album CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Careful - Horse

Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Paula McGinley

There are more than 2000 programmes in our archive available for you to listen to. We have cast away other journalists and presenters including Sir Terry Wogan, Christiane Amanpour, Lindsey Hilsum and Clive Myrie. You can find their episodes on BBC Sounds or on our Desert Island Discs website.