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Miriam O'Reilly (born 16 February 1957 in
Balbriggan Balbriggan (; , IPA: bˠalʲəˈbʲɾʲɪɟiːnʲ is a coastal town in Fingal, in the northern part of County Dublin, Ireland, approximately 34 km from Dublin City. The 2016 census population was 21,722 for Balbriggan and its environs. ...
,
County Dublin "Action to match our speech" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Dublin.svg , map_alt = map showing County Dublin as a small area of darker green on the east coast within the lighter green background of ...
) is an
Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
television presenter A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces, hosts television show, television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. Nowadays, it is common for ...
. Until 2009, she was a presenter on the
BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
rural affairs show ''
Countryfile ''Countryfile'' is a British television programme which airs weekly on BBC One and reports on rural, agricultural, and environmental issues in the United Kingdom. The programme is currently presented by John Craven, Adam Henson, Matt Baker ...
''.


Early life

The daughter of an
Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
farmer who came to
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
in the 1950s, O'Reilly left school aged seventeen, keen to be a
journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...
.


Journalism and broadcasting career

She applied for newspaper
apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a Tradesman, trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners ...
s while working several jobs, including work on the children's television programme ''
Tiswas ''Tiswas'' (; an acronym of "Today Is Saturday: Watch And Smile") was a British children's television series that originally aired on Saturday mornings from 5 January 1974 to 3 April 1982, and was produced for the ITV network by ATV. It was c ...
''. She then worked for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
on the Radio 4 programmes ''
Farming Today ''Farming Today'' is a radio programme about food, farming, and the countryside broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom. It is broadcast each weekday morning (having been recorded the day before) from 5.45 to 5.58, and a longer programme ...
,'' ''Costing the Earth'' and ''
Woman's Hour ''Woman's Hour'' is a radio magazine programme broadcast in the United Kingdom on the BBC Light Programme, BBC Radio 2, and later BBC Radio 4. It has been on the air since 1946. History Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by A ...
.'' She also worked as a television presenter on ''
Countryfile ''Countryfile'' is a British television programme which airs weekly on BBC One and reports on rural, agricultural, and environmental issues in the United Kingdom. The programme is currently presented by John Craven, Adam Henson, Matt Baker ...
'' until 2009. During her time at the BBC, O'Reilly won the Foreign Press, Royal Television Society and British Environment Media awards. O'Reilly was also well known as a co-presenter on the BBC's ''Midlands Today'' programme, alongside longtime regulars
Kay Alexander Kay Alexander (born 4 June 1950) is a retired British regional BBC television newsreader, best known for presenting ''Midlands Today''. Early life Alexander was born and brought up in Aldershot in Hampshire. Her mother was a doctor and her ...
and
Sue Beardsmore Susan Rita Beardsmore (born 19 February 1955) is a former BBC television presenter who fronted the regional news programme ''Midlands Today'' for twenty years. Early life Born in Bedford, Beardsmore attended the independent Dame Alice Harpur Sch ...
. After she was dropped from ''Countryfile'' in 2009, she successfully sued the BBC for
age discrimination Ageism, also spelled agism, is discrimination against individuals or groups on the basis of their age. The term was coined in 1969 by Robert Neil Butler to describe discrimination against seniors, and patterned on sexism and racism. Butler def ...
, saying at the start of her court case that she could no longer watch the programme after being axed from it, as it was too emotionally painful. During the hearing, former BBC One Controller Jay Hunt (ten years O'Reilly's junior) was called as a witness, who O'Reilly accused of ageism, sexism and that she "hated women." In January 2011, the day after Hunt began working at
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
, O'Reilly's claims for age discrimination and victimisation were upheld. In February 2011 O'Reilly presented a show about
ageism Ageism, also spelled agism, is discrimination against individuals or groups on the basis of their age. The term was coined in 1969 by Robert Neil Butler to describe discrimination against seniors, and patterned on sexism and racism. Butler defi ...
on
ITV1 ITV1 (formerly known as ITV) is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the British media company ITV plc. It provides the Channel 3 public broadcast service across all of the United Kingdom except for t ...
called ''Too Old For TV?'', as part of the ''
Tonight Tonight may refer to: Television * ''Tonight'' (1957 TV programme), a 1957–1965 British current events television programme hosted by Cliff Michelmore that was broadcast on BBC * ''Tonight'' (1975 TV programme), a 1975–1979 British current ...
'' television series. In March 2011, as part of its coverage of
International Women's Day International Women's Day (IWD) is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women's rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against wom ...
, ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' newspaper included O'Reilly in its list of the "Top 100 Most Inspirational Women" in the world saying, "The landmark judgement will change the way the BBC, and inevitably other broadcasters, operate." Some time after the case, O'Reilly spoke about how dozens of older BBC women presenters had their careers saved as a result of her legal action. O'Reilly was also included in an exhibition at
BBC Television Centre Television Centre (TVC) is a building complex in White City, London, White City, West London, that was the headquarters of BBC Television between 1960 and 2013. After a refurbishment, the complex reopened in 2017 with three studios in use for ...
of women who had made a significant contribution towards equality at the Corporation since its formation in 1922. In June 2011, O'Reilly returned to the BBC as the co-presenter for the third series of ''Crimewatch Roadshow'' with
Rav Wilding Rav Wilding (born 16 October 1977) is a British television presenter and former police officer who served with the British Transport Police and Metropolitan Police Service. Prior to joining the police, Wilding served in the British Army and wo ...
. In July 2011, a photograph of O'Reilly by Kate Peters was exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in the People of Today collection. O'Reilly announced in January 2012 that she would cease working with the BBC to concentrate on her charity, the Women's Equality Network. On 22 February 2012, the comedian
Rowan Atkinson Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born 6 January 1955) is an English actor, comedian and writer. He played the title roles on the sitcoms '' Blackadder'' (1983–1989) and ''Mr. Bean'' (1990–1995), and the film series ''Johnny English'' (2003–201 ...
had a letter he wrote to ''
The Media Show ''The Media Show'' is a weekly British current affairs radio programme and podcast on BBC Radio 4 which examines the current state of the media. The first episode was broadcast at 13:30 on 1 October 2008 and since May 2017 has been presented by ...
'' read about the O'Reilly case. His position was not sympathetic, complaining that the creative industries should not be seen as a platform for casting legal cases against discrimination. Atkinson was denounced for suggesting creative types were above the law and his stance came in for some criticism. In July 2012 it was revealed that
George Entwistle George Edward Entwistle (born 8 July 1962) was Director-General of the BBC during 2012, succeeding Mark Thompson. After a career in magazine journalism, he joined BBC Television in 1989, becoming a producer with a primary focus in factual and ...
, the BBC director-general, told O'Reilly that he was keen for her to return to the BBC in a prominent presenting role. In September 2012, the deputy leader of the Labour Party,
Harriet Harman Harriet Ruth Harman (born 30 July 1950) is a British politician and solicitor who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Camberwell and Peckham, formerly Peckham, since 1982. A member of the Labour Party, she has served in various Cabi ...
, asked O'Reilly to head up Labour's new commission on older women in the media and public life. In 2017 O'Reilly appeared as one of the hosts on the Channel 5 series '' Secrets of the National Trust''. O'Reilly's fight for equality for older women was included in a book on 21st century feminism, ''What Should We Tell Our Daughters?'' by
Melissa Benn Melissa Ann Benn (born 1957) is a British journalist and writer. She is the daughter of Tony Benn and Caroline Benn. Biography Benn was born in Hammersmith, London. She has three brothers, including Hilary Benn and Stephen Benn, 3rd Viscount S ...
. O'Reilly is quoted "everyone plays down the problems of older women ... it's as if younger women project their fear of the consequences of their own ageing onto other women, rather than tackle the structures that diminish us all." In 2019, in her book, ''Equal'', former BBC China Editor
Carrie Gracie Carrie Gracie (born 1962)Ben Dowel"Carrie Gracie profile: Award-winning journalist with years at World Service" theguardian.com, 12 May 2009 is a Scottish journalist and newsreader best known as having been China Editor for BBC News. She resign ...
acknowledged O'Reilly's stand gave her the courage to fight her case against the BBC for pay discrimination writing, "If others were putting their shoulder to a heavy wheel, how could I remove my own? What would Emmeline Pankhurst think? Or Oprah? Or Miriam O'Reilly?"


Labour Party

In April 2013, O'Reilly revealed that she was putting her name forward to be selected as the Labour Party candidate for the
Nuneaton Nuneaton ( ) is a market town in the borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth in northern Warwickshire, England, close to the county border with Leicestershire and West Midlands County.OS Explorer Map 232 : Nuneaton & Tamworth: (1:25 000) : Nuneaton's ...
seat at the 2015 general election. On 6 July, O'Reilly lost the vote for selection as the PPC for Nuneaton.
Constituency Labour Party __NOTOC__ A constituency Labour Party (CLP) is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party who live in a particular parliamentary constituency. In England and Wales, CLP boundaries coincide with those for UK parliamentary constituenc ...
members opted for local candidate, 22-year-old Victoria Fowler. In April 2015, O'Reilly accepted Labour's offer to be the first independent Commissioner for Older People in England had it formed the Government following the May general election that year. The role would have included promoting awareness of the rights of older people and challenging discrimination against pensioners.


Personal life

She is married to her husband Mark and has a son from a previous relationship. O'Reilly is the sister of the playwright Kaite O'Reilly, winner of the
Ted Hughes Edward James "Ted" Hughes (17 August 1930 – 28 October 1998) was an English poet, translator, and children's writer. Critics frequently rank him as one of the best poets of his generation and one of the twentieth century's greatest wri ...
Award (2011) for her version of
Aeschylus Aeschylus (, ; grc-gre, Αἰσχύλος ; c. 525/524 – c. 456/455 BC) was an ancient Greek tragedian, and is often described as the father of tragedy. Academic knowledge of the genre begins with his work, and understanding of earlier Greek ...
' tragedy ''
The Persians ''The Persians'' ( grc, Πέρσαι, ''Persai'', Latinised as ''Persae'') is an ancient Greek tragedy written during the Classical period of Ancient Greece by the Greek tragedian Aeschylus. It is the second and only surviving part of a now other ...
''.


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Oreilly, Miriam 1957 births English people of Irish descent English television presenters English radio presenters Living people Labour Party (UK) people Labour Party (UK) politicians BBC television presenters BBC radio presenters