Kate Adie Biography
Kate Adie is an English Journalist (Correspondent) and Host, known for being the presenter for BBC Radio 4’s “From Our Own Correspondent”. She is also well known for having served BBC News as a Chief News Correspondent from 1989 to 2003.
Kate Adie Age
Adie was born on September 19, 1945, in Whitley Bay, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom. She is therefore 77 years old as of 2022. She celebrates her birthday on the 19th of September every year.
Kate Adie Height
Adie stands at an approximate height of 5 feet and 7 inches.
Kate Adie Family
Adie was born to her biological parents, John Kelly (father) and Babe Dunnett (mother). Her parents are both Irish Catholics. She has a sister, Dianora Bond.
In the year 1993, she was able to find her birth mother, whom she affectionately called ‘Babe’, and they developed a close and loving relationship that lasted over 20 years. However, she was unable to locate her birth father, John Kelly, or his family from Waterford, despite making public appeals. All she knows is that she has a blood uncle named Michael.
Kate Adie Adopted
When Adie was a baby, she was adopted by a couple from Sunderland: Maud and John, who are pharmacists. She grew up with them and considered them her dad and mom.
Kate Adie Husband
Adie resides in Cerne Abbas, Dorset. She is very private about her personal life therefore it is unknown if she is in any relationship. There are also no rumors of Adie being in any past relationship with anyone.
Kate Adie Net Worth
Adie has an estimated net worth of between $1 Million-$5 Million which she has earned through her successful career as a Journalist (Correspondent) and Host.
Sample Salary
Adie earns an annual salary ranging from $ 45,000 – $ 110,500.
Kate Adie Education
Adie is a proud alumnus of Sunderland Church High School and the University of Newcastle. She graduated from the university with a degree in Scandinavian Studies. During her stint at the university, she performed in a number of Gilbert and Sullivan productions. In her junior year (3rd year), she was a teacher of English in sub-arctic northern Sweden.
Kate Adie Career
Adie serves as a freelance presenter of BBC Radio 4’s “From Our Own Correspondent”. She worked for BBC News for 14 years as a Chief News Correspondent. During her roles at BC News, she covered news from war zones across the globe. Ultimately, she retired from the network in the year 2003.
After completing her education, she started working at BBC Radio Durham as a station assistant, marking the beginning of her career with the BBC. In the year 1976, she became a regional TV news reporter in Plymouth and Southampton. Her skills and experience led her to join the BBC national television news team in 1979. A significant moment in her career came in May 1980 when she was a duty reporter and happened to be present when the Special Air Service (SAS) intervened to resolve the Iranian Embassy siege. She was the first reporter on the scene during this critical event.
In the year 1983, she played a significant role as a reporter for BBC News, covering various news stories. One of her notable assignments was reporting extensively from the crime scenes in north London associated with serial killer Dennis Nilsen. Her coverage provided detailed information and insights into this tragic event.
Following her coverage of the Dennis Nilsen case, Adie became a trusted correspondent for BBC News. Throughout the ’80s, she was frequently assigned to report on various disasters and conflicts. She covered events such as The Troubles in Northern Ireland, the American bombing of Tripoli in the year 1986 (which received some criticism from Conservative Party Chairman Norman Tebbit), and the tragic Lockerbie bombing in the year 1988. Adie’s dedication and professionalism led to her promotion as Chief News Correspondent in the year 1989, a role she held for an impressive fourteen years.
Adie’s career continued to take her to significant assignments in major conflicts around the world. She reported on the Gulf War, the war in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the devastating Rwandan genocide in the year 1994, and the war in Sierra Leone 6 years later. During her time in Libya, she even had the opportunity to meet the country’s leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. However, her dedication to journalism also came with risks. While in Libya, Adie was shot by an intoxicated and angry Libyan army commander. The incident occurred when she refused to serve as a mediator between the British and Libyan governments. Thankfully, the bullet only grazed her collarbone, causing a minor injury without any lasting harm.
After her retirement from the BBC in 2003, Adie continued her career as a freelance journalist. She took on various roles, including providing regular reports for Radio New Zealand and also participating in numerous episodes of the BBC Radio 4 program From Our Own Correspondent. Additionally, she engaged in public speaking engagements and hosted two series of a television show called Found, which aired on BBC One. The show, produced by Leopard Films, explored the experiences of adults who were impacted by adoption and delved into what it must be like to begin life as a foundling. In the year 2017, she was invited to speak at the Gibraltar International Literary Festival.
Kate Adie Awards and Honors
Adie has received numerous prestigious awards and honors throughout her career. She was honored with the BAFTA Richard Dimbleby Award in the year 1990. In the year 1993 New Year Honours, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). In the year 2013, she was an appoitee of the Deputy Lieutenant of Dorset. Recognizing her outstanding contributions to the field of broadcasting, she was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship in the year 2018. That same year, she was also appointed as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Birthday Honours.
Adie has been bestowed with honorary degrees from various esteemed institutions including York St John University, Nottingham Trent University, and the University of Bath, where she received a Master of Arts in the year 1987. She has received recognition as an Honorary Professor of Journalism at the University of Sunderland. Additionally, she has received three Honorary Fellowships, including one from Royal Holloway, University of London in 1996. In the year 2013, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Plymouth University, further acknowledging her significant contributions to her field.
Kate Adie Charity Work
In the year 2017, Adie was chosen to be an ambassador for SSAFA, which is the United Kingdom’s oldest military charity. She is an ambassador for SkillForce and Farm Africa (a non-governmental organization). In July 2018, Adie became an ambassador for the medical charity Overseas Plastic Surgery Appeal. Adie is also a supporter of Sunderland AFC and in the year 2011, she participated in a charity event organized by the Sunderland A.F.C. Foundation of Light.
Kate Adie Books / Author
As an author, Adie has written 5 books;
- Corsets to Camouflage: Women and War (2003).
- The Kindness of Strangers (2002) – autobiography
- Nobody’s Child (2005).
- Fighting on the Home Front: The Legacy of Women in World War One (September 2013).
- Into Danger: People Who Risk Their Lives for Work (September 2008).
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