ITV presenter Tom Bradby has expressed his thoughts on the lack of white male news anchors in his field, as he prepares to lead the channel’s forthcoming general election coverage.
The 57-year-old has been an established broadcaster for decades, having served as ITV’s royal correspondent and political editor in previous roles.
ITV’s main competitors – the BBC, Channel 4, and Sky News – recently confirmed a formidable line-up of presenting talent, with more diversity than previous years.
Meanwhile, Bradby will be part of a trio of white men, alongside former Labour MP Ed Balls, and former Tory chancellor George Osbourne.They will be joined on ITV by former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, whom Bradby recommended for the panel, despite an ongoing police investigation into her husband’s embezzlement scandal.
Bradby told the Radio Times: “There aren’t many white male anchors left, dare I say, so I feel a bit less nervous about that [the line-up] than possibly I should.
“You just put your head down, do a good job and try to be as nice as you can to everyone around you. As you get older, you think, ‘Will I be remembered as somebody who was decent to work with?’ Because that’s what you want to be remembered for. It’s much easier to have that perspective when you’re older.”
The BBC’s election coverage will be headed by veteran broadcasters Clive Myrie and Laura Kuenssberg. Emily Maitlis and Krishnan Guru-Murthy will be presenting on Channel 4 while Kay Burley will head Sky News.
The election will take place on 4 July, and will result in changes to ITV’s morning programming.
Bradby also reflected on his experience of mental health issues and insomnia following the death of his parents in 2018. He said: “You think about the world differently once you’ve had a breakdown and spent a lot of time talking about the stresses and strains we place on ourselves.
“The demands we feel we must meet and the standards we must achieve. Once you’ve had a chance to rethink it, you’re bound to view the world differently.”
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Meanwhile Myrie and Kuenssberg made headlines when they were confirmed as the BBC’s replacements for Huw Edwards.
The former BBC News at Ten presenter resigned on “medical advice” after he was accused of paying a teenager thousands of pounds for sexually explicit images.
