Kirsty Wark asked me to fetch her a cup of tea and a Penguin biscuit

The Herald Scotland

5 days ago

Certainly, she can appear regal to the journalistic peasantry. I remember a packed press conference where she breenged in with her crew. Suddenly we – self-important, like everyone in our trade – all felt like minions. She asked me to fetch her a cup of tea and a Penguin biscuit ('one with a green wrapper'). Wow.
What ingredients went into creating such an imperious personage? Well, being born was a useful start. This auspicious event occurred on 3 February 1955 in Dumfries. Kirsty's father, who earned a Military Cross for heroism at Normandy, was a solicitor. A convivial raconteur, he also liked spending time on his own fly-fishing. 'I'm sure he was reflecting on the horrors of war, ' Kirsty told the I newspaper recently.
Her mother was a teacher who, after one early Newsnight interview, phoned to complain that she'd split an infinitive. Poor Kirsty must have been tempted to tell her mother where to boldly go.
She spent her early years in Castle Douglas before moving to Kilmarnock. After attending all-girl, 'independent' Wellington School in Ayr, she studied history, specifically Scottish Studies, at Embra Yoonie. In 1976, aged 21, Wark joined the BBC as a graduate researcher and soon became a producer for Radio Scotland, displaying enthusiasm and a willingness to make things happen. Wish I'd tried that.
(Image: Jamie Simpson)
BOXING CLEVER
WARK switched to television in 1982, producing Reporting Scotland, Agenda and Current Account. She then moved into presenting various Scottish political programmes before moving to UK network television as part of the Breakfast Time brigade.
In 1988, she reported on the Lockerbie bombing and, in 1990, made her mark as an interviewer when she confronted, so to say, Margaret Thatcher. The Iron Lady was incensed with her abrasive questions about the poll tax, and complained afterwards that she'd 'interrupted me more than I've ever been interrupted'.
Later, it emerged that Wark had just learned she was pregnant with her first baby, and so was determined to remain 'preternaturally calm' for both their sakes.
In 1993, she joined Newsnight, BBC 2's mumphing aboot politics show, in a role that was to last three decades. She stood down last summer, a week after the General Election.
In her time, she has faced accusations of being too close to Labour. Donald Dewar, former Labour First Minister and a close friend, appointed her to a panel choosing the design for the new Scottish Parliament – with hilarious consequences!
Later, the independent production company she co-owned was an awarded a BBC contract to make programmes about … construction of the Scottish Parliament building. Whoopsie.
In 2005, she invited another Labour First Minister and long-time friend, Jack McConnell, now Lord McConnell of Proletariat, and his family to stay at her Majorcan holiday home over New Year. Doubt was cast on Wark's neutrality and suitability to anchor political programmes, with respected quality newspaper the Daily Mail dubbing the episode 'Villagate'.
Importantly, it added that she had a 'big, almost masculine voice that belies a worked-on slim figure and good legs often hidden by trousers'. Trousers, ye say?
However, several observers considered the 'scandal' overblown, with Newsnight's editor pointing out that many media peeps had old pals who went on to hold office. 'The important issue is your ability to ask tough questions and that is not a problem with Kirsty Wark …'
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ECK OF AN ATTITUDE
ALEX Salmond was a problem for Kirsty Wark. In 2007, after an interview with then First Mniister, the BBC received 120 complaints from entirely disinterested individuals, and issued a public apology regretting Wark's 'rude and dismissive' tone.
In 2020, after she presented a programme about Salmond's sexual assault trial – in which he was acquitted – more than 900 complaints of bias were made.
Wark responded: 'Alex Salmond was found innocent, not guilty, there is no disputing that in any way. What we were doing was giving background to the whole thing, and we did that fairly.'
Politically, she has described herself as 'soft left', with pals in all parties. Late Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy called her a 'fierce foe when the studio lights go on, great fun in the bar'.
Late Labour MP Robin Cook MP said at least she let folk answer the question, 'unlike those from the Paxman and Humphrys school'.
She herself describes her approach as 'forensic' – certainly leaves blood on the floor sometimes – and contends that she's professional enough to 'leave my own views at the door when I come to work'.
Forby politics, she's right arty and, indeed, has written two novels. She presented BBC Two's Late Show from 1990 to 1993 and, in 2006, interviewed playwright Harold Pinter, resisting the temptation to get back at the old scrote by leaving long silences.
She made cameo appearances in Doctor Who and Absolutely Fabulous. In 2013, she appeared on the inexplicably popular Great British Bake Off, but has resisted 'many times' invitations to do Strictly Come Dancing, another programme that has sapped the nation's morale.
More consequentially, she has highlighted problems of the menopause, believing people are reluctant to discuss it. Moving swiftly on, two months ago she bagged a BAFTA Fellowship, with BAFTA CEO Jane Millichip praising her 'enormous charm and wit'.
GA-GA FOR RADIO
ALWAYS based in Glasgow, Wark has lately been appearing in BBC Scotland's Good For Her, in a running sketch that follows a woman who can't stop speaking as if she's delivering the news.
Kirsty Wark misses the buzz of Newsnight, but is content for the moment presenting arts magazine show Front Row and history series The Reunion on BBC Radio 4.
She likes claes and, in 2013, was deemed one of the 50 best-dressed over-50s by fashion magazine, the Guardian. In other news, we can reveal she loves gardening and homemade jam, having spent several years in recovery from an addiction to banana cake.
Meanwhile, in the interests of truth, that currently under-rated concept in which she takes such a great interest, I should clarify that, at the start of this authoritative exposé, I was only joking about the cup of tea and a Penguin. It was a Twix.