Lorraine Kelly has notched up four decades in the spotlight after making her debut on TV-AM back in 1984, going on to become one of TV’s most recognisable faces. Now, the ITV star’s long and varied career is to be recognised at the glittering TV BAFTA Award ceremony this Sunday.
The 64-year-old is to receive a Special Award to commemorate her unstoppable broadcasting career. But Lorraine shows no sign of resting on her laurels.
“I don’t think I would ever retire,” she revealed in an exclusive interview with the Mirror. “I look at people like Jane Goodall, who I interviewed recently. The amazing lady who works with chimpanzees, she’s 90 years old.
“I look at David Attenborough, I look at people like Michael Palin, and they still work really really hard because they love what they do. They still have a curiosity and they want to learn things.
“I have still got lots to do and lots of people to talk to.” In 40 years on the box, Lorraine has reported on every big event in recent history, from the 1988 Lockerbie air disaster to The King’s Coronation.
She has interviewed Prime Ministers, royalty and Hollywood stars. Not bad for a reporter who first started as a trainee on the East Kilbride News before landing a job at BBC Scotland as a researcher.
She applied to be TV-AM’s Scottish correspondent in 1984. It was here that she met her future husband, cameraman Steve Smith, with daughter Rosie, 29, expecting her first baby in August. Lorraine said becoming a grandmother is very much the icing on the cake.
“We’re really really looking forward to it,” she expressed. “It’s the most exciting thing that has ever happened to our family in a long time because there has not been that many babies.
“I will just have to make sure that I don’t interfere too much, that I’m not too much of a nuisance! I’ve just said to her: ‘I will be here for you, I’m here for you, anything you need.’ We’ve got that kind of relationship that if I was annoying her, she would say: ‘Enough, go home!'”
Lorraine has had her own ITV show since 2010, which is still a ratings hit all these years later. It’s little wonder that bosses have had no desire to change such a winning formula. But the presenter says she is at peace if that day ever comes.
“There will come to a stage one day, when they want to make a change and get someone else in and even if that happens I won’t retire completely, I will always either be writing or doing something for radio,” she admitted.
“It’s a huge milestone. 40 years is massive. TV can be notoriously pretty ruthless and people can come and go.”
Lorraine airs weekdays at 9am on ITV and ITVX.
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