She’s been a fixture on our tellies for 40 years but Lorraine Kelly is getting even better with age and rates 2024 her best year yet.
From becoming a grandmother and winning a BAFTA to publishing her first novel and appearing on The Masked Singer – the queen of daytime television says the last 12 months have been magical.
Lorraine, 64, who started out as Scotland reporter for TV-am in 1984, has had an unforgettable four decades in showbiz especially for ‘a wee Scottish lassie’ who grew up in a Glasgow tenement.
The mum of one, whose incredible career is being celebrated in an ITV special tonight at 9pm, said: “It’s been quite the year – 2024 has been so very special.
“Obviously the most magical thing that has happened is the birth of baby Billie who is an absolute angel. I am completely besotted, and I’m so proud of my daughter Rosie and her fiancé Steve White. They are incredible parents and baby Billie is surrounded by love from all their family and friends.”
Lorraine, who has been presenting her own morning ITV chat show since 2010, added: “The BAFTA award was of course another highlight, made even more special as it was given to me by the legend Brian Cox. There was also the publication of my first novel “The Island Swimmer” which went to number 2 in the big grown up Sunday Times book chart.
“Appearing as an owl on The Masked Singer was one of the most enjoyable and happiest of experiences and I can’t wait to show Billie when she is older.”
Lorraine, who has had some incredibly famous folk on her sofa over the years, admits with so many professional highlights it’s difficult to pinpoint the stand-outs.
The former journalist, who started out at the East Kilbride News, said: “I have had so many amazing experiences. Interviewing Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon was incredible.
I watched the moon landings with my dad and I’m a total space geek, so that was an incredible experience.
“Back in the days of TV-am I interviewed stars from the golden age of cinema including Kirk Douglas, Sammy Davis Jr, Lauren Bacall and Tony Curtis.”
Lorraine, who is married to cameraman Steve Smith, added: “Another of my favourite guests was the late Clive James and it was an honour to talk to Sir David Attenborough. I also get very excited when we have my favourite bands from the eighties on the show these days, like Hue and Cry, The Cure, Madness, Human League and so many others.
“Our campaigns are very special. Our “Change and Check campaign has saved the lives of more than 100 women and an amazing achievement for everyone on the show, especially our producer Helen Addis who had the idea after going through
breast cancer herself.”
Lorraine, who was born in the Gorbals and moved to a tenement flat in Glasgow’s Bridgeton when she was two, says breaking into TV with a Glasgow accent was hard in the 1980s and feels it is still difficult today.
The Dundee United fan, who lived with her family in Broughty Ferry until 2017, said: “In some ways I think it is easier now
within the Broadcasting industry but it is also harder for working class, young men and women these days to get the same opportunities I had. I worry their voices are not being heard and we all need to do more to make it easier for them. It usually comes down to money.
They can’t afford to live in London on low wages when first starting out. Back in the eighties organisations would help staff out with lodgings in hostels or affordable rentals.”
Lorraine, who lived in East Kilbride as a teenager and attended Claremont High School, says although advances in technology has changed the industry over the years her job has remained the same.
She said: “Obviously improvements in technology mean we can broadcast from almost anywhere in the world – even from the International Space Station – but essentially the job has always been simply telling people’s stories.
“I never take it for granted that people trust me with their, often harrowing, experiences and their triumph over adversity. I am lucky enough to have interviewed so many famous people over the past forty years, but the ones that stick with me are so called “ordinary” people doing extraordinary things.”
Lorraine, who was awarded an OBE in 2012, added: “Something that has changed a lot is the arrival of social media. It can be a wonderful way to connect with our viewers, but I am glad there was no X – formerly Twitter – when I was starting out as the criticism would have been
impossible to deal with at a young age when you are just learning the job.”
Lorraine admits when she was starting out she never dared to dream she would have such an illustrious and enduring career. She said: “I have never had a career plan and I still don’t. I’ve worked hard and I’ve been lucky. I love what I do and I have a wonderful production team and crew.
“As a freelance you live from one yearly contract to the next and you never know what the future holds, but I found my niche. Live morning TV suits me and I love it.”
In the special doc – Lorraine; 40 Unforgettable Years – there is old cine footage of the presenter as a child and interviews with her family, friends and primary school teacher.
She said: “I was very emotional when I saw the programme for the first time. The cine footage was when our tenement flat in Bridgeton in Glasgow had been condemned and we were moving out later that year.
“I had so many friends there and was really happy and it was good to look back on those days. My wee brother Graham is in the footage too. He lives in Singapore now and we try to visit as often as possible.”
Lorraine, who is the patron of several charities including Worldwide Cancer Research, added: “This is something that I will watch with my granddaughter in years to come. It’s going to be the best ever photo album you could ever wish for, and I can’t wait for Billie to see her daft granny in action.”
Looking back Lorraine says there isn’t much she would change – well except some of her ‘frightening’ style choices.
The gay icon, who was elected as the first female rector of the University of Dundee in 2004, said: “I would tell my younger self to keep a diary to record all these amazing memories and events and don’t stress too much about getting things right all the time, and maybe get some styling advice – some of those outfits and hairstyles from the eighties and nineties are positively frightening.”
– Lorraine; 40 Unforgettable Years airs tonight (Weds) at 9pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV player