Gloria Hunniford - Biography, Personal life

British broadcaster, born in Portadown, Co Armagh, Northern Ireland, UK. She started singing at the age of nine, releasing four records, and during the 1960s became involved in several shows on radio and television, including a weekly broadcast to British forces in Germany (1969–81). She became widely known with her daily radio programme for BBC's Radio 2 (1982–95), while participating in a wide range of shows, including London Weekend Television's Sunday Sunday (1982–91) and BBC's Gloria Live (1990–3). The recipient of several broadcasting personality awards, she has also written an autobiography, Gloria (1994), and a cookbook (1995). In 2005 she published Next to You, a best-selling biography of her daughter, television presenter Caron Keating (1962–2004), who died from breast cancer.

Gloria Hunniford (born April 10, 1940, Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland) is TV and radio presenter, and the mother of the late Caron Keating.

Biography

Named after actress Gloria Swanson, Hunniford was originally a singer.

Hunniford was the first woman to have her own daily radio show on BBC Radio 2, starting off with the lunchtime show before moving to the early afternoon slot in 1985 where she remained for 10 years, leaving to tend her ill daughter.

As a television presenter and celebrity, Hunniford has appeared on numerous programmes including Gloria Live, Wogan, Holiday, Songs of Praise, and Kilroy.

She currently presents the Heaven & Earth with Gloria Hunniford religion and ethics show on BBC One from 2006.

Personal life

While working for the BBC in Belfast, she met camera man and later BBC current affairs producer Don Keating.

She moved to Sevenoaks, Kent where she still lives, and her daughter Caron died. Gloria married celebrity hairdresser Stephen Wey in 1998, and has a holiday home in Fowey, Cornwall