Sally Magnusson


1955 -

Broadcaster. Born in Glasgow, the daughter of author and broadcaster Magnus Magnusson (1929 - 2007), Sally Magnusson was brought up in Rutherglen. She was educated at the University of Edinburgh, graduating in 1978 with a first-class honours degree in English Language and Literature. Her career in journalism began with the Scotsman newspaper in Edinburgh and continued with the Sunday Standard in Glasgow.

Moving to London and television in 1986, Magnusson anchored a succession of news programmes culminating in the BBC Breakfast News. She went on to present programmes as diverse as current affairs, documentary, music, politics and religion. Returning to live in Glasgow, she took over the early evening news programme, Reporting Scotland. A frequent presenter of Songs of Praise, she has also worked on most of the BBC radio stations, including presenting Breakaway and Woman's Hour on Radio 4.

She has also provided commentary for many national events, including the opening of the Scottish Parliament (2004), a succession of General Elections, various political party conferences and the funerals of Princess Diana, Scottish First Minister Donald Dewar (1937 - 2000) and Cardinal Thomas Winning (1925 - 2001).

Awards include Scottish Feature Writer of the Year (1982), a Scottish BAFTA for Dunblane: A Community Remembers (1996), a Royal Television Society award (1998) for her interview with Earl Spencer, entitled Diana: My Sister the Princess and another RTS award in 2004 for her series Britain's Secret Shame, which highlighted abuse in care homes for the elderly.

Magnusson has written several books, including The Flying Scotsman (1981), a biography of Eric Liddell (1902-45), A Shout in the Street (1991), the history of a Glasgow boys club, Family Life (1999), an entertaining portrait of the trials and tribulations of bringing up five children and Dreaming of Iceland (2004).

In 2023, she was awarded an MBE for services to people with dementia.


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