Profile: Kirsty Young's 30-year career in broadcasting

Kirsty Young was born in East Kilbride and attended Stirling High School before starting her career in broadcasting as a continuity announcer for BBC Radio Scotland in 1989.

Kirsty Young was one of the original hosts of 5 News on Channel 5, which became famous for the presenters standing or sitting on rather than behind a desk.

In 1992 she moved to STV to present Scotland Today and her short-lived chat show Kirsty before moving to London where she appeared on programmes including the Holiday programme, The Time, The Place, and The Street.

Her breakthrough came in 1997 when she joined the newly-launched Channel 5 as one of the original newsreaders of 5 Live, which became famous for its presentation style, which was unique at the time, of presenters standing up or sitting on a desk rather than behind it.

She left Channel 5 in 2007 and since 2006 has been the main presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, a role she took over from Sue Lawley.

In 2007 she took over from Sue Bruce as presenter of Crimewatch and was with the show until 2015.

She is married to businessman Nick Jones, the founder of Soho House club and has two daughters and two step-children from Mr Jones’s first marriage.