Katherine Jayne Secker (born 12 July 1972)[1] is an English journalist and newsreader for Sky News. She has presented Sky News Today on the channel since September 2014, formerly alongside Colin Brazier.
Jayne Secker | |
|---|---|
| Born | Katherine Jayne Secker 12 July 1972 Bedlington, Northumberland, England |
| Alma mater | University of Stirling |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist and newsreader |
| Employer | Sky News |
| Notable work | Sky News Today |
| Mother | Kathy Secker |
Early life
editSecker was born in 1972 in Bedlington, Northumberland,[2] and grew up in North East England. Her mother was the Tyne Tees Television and BBC Radio Newcastle broadcaster Kathy Secker.[3]
Following A levels at Westfield School, she undertook a degree course in film and media at the University of Stirling.[4] During that time she edited student newspapers and completed an internship with BBC Radio Newcastle.[4] After graduating, she became an assigned BBC trainee in 1996.[4][5]
Career
editSecker joined Sky News in 2002.[5] She spent 10 years as a foreign correspondent, frequently reporting from war zones, including the Middle East.[6]
In 2014, as part of a schedule change, Sky News Today was launched, presented by Secker and Colin Brazier.
She conducted the first live TV interview with the astronaut Tim Peake from the International Space Station.[6]
In April 2019, Secker drew criticism for her comments during an interview about 'no-fault evictions'. Some viewers accused her of being "patronising" and "insensitive" in her interview with the housing campaigner Kirsty Archer. The interview was halted after Archer swore during her response. Secker later apologised for what she described as the wrong tone in her interview.[7][8]
In January 2024, Secker garnered online attention and criticism for her remarks in response to a Sky News report about 13-year-old Willis Gibson's achievement of reaching the "kill screen" in the game NES Tetris. In an apparently spontaneous comment, Secker stated, "As a mother, I would just say step away from the screen, go outside, get some fresh air. Beating Tetris is not a life goal."[9][10] This created a flurry of social media outbursts, including a Snapchat video which calls her “the Tetris kid hater“.
Personal life
editHer mother, a well-known television and radio presenter, Kathy Secker, died in 2015 aged 70.[11] Secker also founded the charity Grace House North East, of which Jayne is a patron.[12]
References
edit- ^ Whetstone, David (16 December 2015). "TV presenter Kathy Secker was everyone's friend long before celebrity culture". nechronicle. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ^ "Sky News presenter Jayne Secker takes on the coast to coast challenge". www.sunderlandecho.com. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ^ Eden, Tom (21 January 2017). "Kathy Secker's TV-presenter daughter Jayne opens up about how proud her mum would be". Chronicle Live.
- ^ a b c Secker, Jayne. "Jayne Secker". Modern Muse. Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
- ^ a b "Jayne Secker Sky News | Husband, Age, Wiki, Bio, Married, Journalist". Marathi.TV. 29 July 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ^ a b Eden, Tom (21 January 2017). "Kathy Secker's TV-presenter daughter Jayne opens up about her mum". nechronicle. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ^ Seddon, Sean (16 April 2019). "North East-born Sky News host apologises after 'patronising' interview". nechronicle. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ^ McKay, Susan (19 April 2019). "Sky News anchor's rant shows how a lack of diversity is skewing the news". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ^ "Tetris: Sky News presenter tells teenager to "go outside"". BBC News. 4 January 2024.
- ^ Robinson, Andy (4 January 2024). "Sky News presenter criticised for telling teenage Tetris champ to 'go outside'". Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ "Former Tyne Tees presenter Kathy Secker dies aged 70". ITV News. 16 December 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ^ "Jayne Secker becomes a Patron of Grace House: Grace House". www.gracehouse.co.uk. 29 March 2019. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
External links
edit- Jayne Secker at IMDb
- Jayne Secker on Twitter