Mark Edwardson (born 1967) is a former TV news presenter and reporter for ''

BBC North West Tonight ''BBC North West Tonight'' is the BBC's regional television news programme covering North West England and the Isle of Man. Produced by BBC North West, the programme airs at 1.30pm (as ''North West Today''), 6.30pm and 10.30pm, with shorter bu ...

'' based at '' MediaCity UK'' in ''

Salford Salford () is a city and the largest settlement in the City of Salford metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. In 2011, Salford had a population of 103,886. It is also the second and only other city in the metropolitan county afte ...

''. He is also a seasoned radio presenter having hosted the breakfast shows at

BBC Radio Stoke BBC Radio Stoke is the BBC's local radio station serving Staffordshire and South Cheshire. It broadcasts on FM, DAB, Freeview and via BBC Sounds from studios in the Hanley area of Stoke-on-Trent. According to RAJAR, the station has a weekl ...

and

BBC GMR BBC Radio Manchester is the BBC's local radio station serving Greater Manchester. It broadcasts on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios at MediaCityUK in Salford Quays. According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience of ...

Early life

Mark Edwardson was born on 3 March 1967 at Cowley Hill Hospital in St Helens,

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

and grew up in

Haydock Haydock is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England. At the 2011 Census, it had a population of 11,416 Haydock's historic area covers the Haydock electoral ward and a section of the Blackbrook ward. Haydoc ...

. He has one sister. Edwardson was educated at English Martyrs RC Primary School in Haydock, St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School,

Ashton in Makerfield Ashton may refer to: Names *Ashton (given name) *Ashton (surname) Places Australia * Ashton, Elizabeth Bay, a heritage-listed house in Sydney, New South Wales *Ashton, South Australia Canada *Ashton, Ontario New Zealand * Ashton, New Zealand ...

and St John Rigby College, Orrell. He graduated from Edge Hill College,

Ormskirk Ormskirk is a market town in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England, north of Liverpool, northwest of St Helens, southeast of Southport and southwest of Preston. Ormskirk is known for its gingerbread. Geography and administr ...

with an Honours Degree.

Career

Edwardson first worked as a rent collector for the local council in his hometown of St. Helens. After 18 months in the job, he got his first job in broadcasting by asking a radio station news editor if he needed help on a busy derby day in Manchester. He survived the

Hillsborough Disaster The Hillsborough disaster was a fatal human crush during a football match at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, on 15 April 1989. It occurred during an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest in the ...

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

in April 1989, and presented an emotional special report on ''

North West Tonight ''BBC North West Tonight'' is the BBC's regional television news programme covering North West England and the Isle of Man. Produced by BBC North West, the programme airs at 1.30pm (as ''North West Today''), 6.30pm and 10.30pm, with shorter b ...

'' on the day of the 20th anniversary of the disaster in 2009. On 1 January 2021 he announced while presenting an evening news bulletin, that it was his final appearance for BBC North West Tonight. In an interview with the

Congleton Chronicle The ''Congleton Chronicle'' is a weekly newspaper published every Thursday in Congleton, Cheshire, England. Founded in 1893 by Robert Head at 11 High Street, Congleton, the newspaper remains at that address, and is the only independently-owned, p ...

in January 2023, Edwardson announced his plans to stand as an independent candidate for

Congleton Town Council Congleton Town Council is the town council for Congleton which was established in 1980. Councillors The current list of councillors in Congleton Town Council, following the local elections on 2 May 2019. The table below shows current and ...

and

Cheshire East Council Cheshire East Council is the local authority of the Borough of Cheshire East, Cheshire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It provides a full range of local government ...

at the

2023 United Kingdom Local Elections 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...

. In late January 2023 Edwardson and two other independent candidates standing in the 2023 United kingdom Local Elections in Congleton formed the Congleton Independents political party. The party was formed due to a "plot to destroy" the chances of independent candidates in Congleton winning at the local elections.

References

Living people People from St Helens, Merseyside Alumni of Edge Hill University 1967 births People from Haydock BBC North West newsreaders and journalists {{UK-journalist-stub