Laura Kuenssberg Biography

(Journalist)

Birthday: August 8, 1976 (Leo)

Born In: Italy

Laura Kuenssberg is a British journalist and political editor at BBC News. She is the first woman to hold that venerable post. Coming from a family of brilliant and compassionate people, she has been able to carve her own niche; cast her own identity; and choose her path to success. She has reported on some of the biggest events in contemporary British politics and has been applauded by many including the judges of British Journalism Awards. Her sensitivity and compassion for political topics including her interview with Brendan Cox greatly inspired the journalist fraternity. This included her work on Brexit and other issues regarding British politics changed the way in which it was viewed. Kuenssberg, like most famous people, was controversy’s favorite child. Her fearless nature landed her in many a hot soup. She was even a victim of online abuses and threats. But she made sure that none of the criticisms affected her sanity and her indomitable love for her work. Laura Kuenssberg reminds us that the fair and the fearless not only survive but thrive in the toughest of professions.

7
Quick Facts

Italian Celebrities Born In August

Also Known As: Laura Juliet Kuenssberg

Age: 48 Years, 48 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: James Kelly

father: Nick Kuenssberg

mother: Sally Kuenssberg

siblings: David Kuenssberg, Joanna Kuenssberg

Born Country: Italy

Journalists Italian Women

More Facts

education: Georgetown University, The University of Edinburgh

  • 1

    When did Laura Kuenssberg become the Political Editor of BBC News?

    Laura Kuenssberg became the Political Editor of BBC News in July 2015.
  • 2

    What is Laura Kuenssberg's educational background?

    Laura Kuenssberg studied at the University of Edinburgh, where she graduated with a degree in history.
  • 3

    Has Laura Kuenssberg ever worked for other news organizations besides the BBC?

    Yes, Laura Kuenssberg has previously worked for ITV News as a business editor before joining the BBC.
  • 4

    What are some key political events that Laura Kuenssberg has covered during her career?

    Laura Kuenssberg has covered major political events such as general elections, Brexit negotiations, and key political summits.
  • 5

    How does Laura Kuenssberg describe her approach to journalism and reporting?

    Laura Kuenssberg has stated that she aims to be impartial, accurate, and fair in her reporting, maintaining a commitment to delivering balanced and informative news coverage.
Childhood & Early Life

Laura Kuenssberg was born on 8 August 1976, in Italy. She is the third child of Nick Kuenssberg, a Scottish businessman, and Sally Kuenssberg, a decorated children’s service worker.

She grew up in Glasgow along with her brother and sister: David and Joanna Kuenssberg. Her brother, David Kuenssberg, is a civil servant while her sister, Joanna Kuenssberg, is a former British diplomat.

She attended the prestigious ‘Laurel Bank School’, a private girl’s school based out of Glasgow.

Continue Reading Below
Career

Laura Kuenssberg initially opted for a History degree at the University of Edinburg, which she then followed with a course in Journalism at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

During that period, she worked on a political program on NBC News, which consequently secured her a position at her hometown’s (Glasgow) radio station. That was followed by a short stint at a Glasgow based cable television station.

In March 2000, she joined BBC North East and Cumbria as a trainee. Soon, she was working as home affairs correspondent and producing segments for BBC’s social affairs editor at the time— Niall Dickson.

A few years later, she became the chief political correspondent, she began reporting for BBC One bulletins, Daily Politics and BBC News. Such was the impact of her 2010 UK general election (held under David Cameron) coverage that famous journalist, David Aaronovitich, coined the term, ‘Kuenssbergovision’ to describe her quality and style of political reporting.

In September 2011, she quit her job at BBC to fill a newly created position at ITV News; that of a business editor. During that time, she did some amount of business reporting for the television network’s current affairs program, ‘Tonight’.

She made her debut for ITV’s ‘News at Ten’ on 27th August 2013 as a co-newscaster alongside Alastair Stewart, which was well received by the public at the time.

A few months later, however, news regarding her return to BBC was making the rounds. She was to replace Galvin Esler as a host of ‘Newsnight’. Laura Kuenssberg took over as chief correspondent at BBC, formally joining the Newsnight team in February 2014.

In July 2015, she was made the political editor at BBC. With that announcement, she became the first woman to grace that high position in the long history of the broadcasting corporation.

In 2016, she was involved in the resignation announcement of the then Labor MP Stephen Doughtry. The latter made a public announcement of him renouncing the position of shadow foreign minister on ‘Daily Politics’ She was also accused of being biased against another leader of a Labor Party, Jeremy Corbyn.

Continue Reading Below

In January 2017, yet another controversy made the rounds. She was accused by the BBC Trust of defying the Broadcaster’s Impartiality and Accuracy Guidelines. Given the danger that loomed over her life, her employers made every arrangement for her protection during the 2017 general election. That included a personal bodyguard.

Once again, in 2019, a day before the general elections, she made a controversial statement about the postal votes, which landed her up in trouble. It is believed that she breached the set guidelines of the Electoral Commission by viewing the postal votes prior to the polling day and predicted the electoral outcomes.

Major Works

Laura Kuenssberg’s most significant work till date remains her coverage of Brexit and the Tory leadership. Besides the acclaim she received for this coverage, it also established her as one of the fearless faces of political journalism.

Her first documentary, The Brexit Storm: Laura Kuenssberg’s Inside Story, was a massive hit as it emphasized the Brexit negotiations as well as her capability as a political journalist. The documentary was presented in March 2019 for BBC Two.

Her second documentary, The Brexit Storm Continues: Laura Kuenssberg’s Inside Story, covered the arrival of Boris Johnson at 10 Downing street till the general election of 2019.

Awards & Achievements

In the year 2016, Laura Kuenssberg was honored with the title of Broadcaster of the Year by Political Studies Association, for her priceless contribution to the “public understanding of politics”.

In December 2016, she was named Journalist of the Year for her thorough and insightful contribution to the Brexit coverage.

Laura Kuenssberg has also been tagged as one of the ‘twenty most influential Londoners’ in the Evening Standard's 2019 list.

Family & Personal Life

Laura Kuenssberg has two older siblings. David, who is older to Laura, works as an executive director of finance and resources at Brighton and Hove City Council whereas Joanna is a diplomat.

Though Kuenssberg is very secretive about her personal life, she is believed to be married to James Kelly, a management consultant who also completed his degree at the University of Edinburgh. The couple is currently situated in east London and have no children.

Facts About Laura Kuenssberg
Laura Kuenssberg is known for her love of knitting and often brings her knitting projects with her on the road while covering news stories.
She is a fan of the British band Coldplay and has attended several of their concerts.
Laura Kuenssberg is a talented cook and enjoys experimenting with new recipes in her spare time.
She has a passion for photography and often captures behind-the-scenes moments during her reporting assignments.
Laura Kuenssberg is an avid reader and has a diverse collection of books ranging from fiction to political history.

See the events in life of Laura Kuenssberg in Chronological Order

How To Cite

Article Title
- Laura Kuenssberg Biography
Author
- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
- TheFamousPeople.com
URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/laura-kuenssberg-14667.php

People Also Viewed

Giuseppe Ungaretti Biography
Giuseppe Ungaretti
(Italian)
 
Alberto Moravia Biography
Alberto Moravia
(Italian)
 
Ayesha Rascoe Biography
Ayesha Rascoe
(American)
 
Sara Eisen Biography
Sara Eisen
(American)
 
Hunter S. Thompson Biography
Hunter S. Thompson
(American)
 
Lynda Lopez Biography
Lynda Lopez
(American)
 
Mishal Husain Biography
Mishal Husain
(British)
 
Trish Regan Biography
Trish Regan
(American)