Wendy Austin

Dr Wendy Elizabeth Austin Hewitt (born November 19, 1951) is a former BBC journalist and broadcaster in BBC Northern Ireland, and former presenter of BBC Radio Ulster’s current affairs programme ''Talkback''.

Austin began her career in journalism at ''The Belfast Telegraph'', leaving in 1976 to join the fledgling Downtown Radio, and later that year moving to the BBC where she was a television reporter before moving into radio presentation.

From 1981 she was involved in the breakfast time ''Good Morning Ulster'' reporting and presenting, before moving to the newly created Breakfast Time on BBC TV. Other radio shows followed - Morning Extra and Wendy After Lunch, before a move to BBCR4 in London, presenting PM Woman's Hour and The Exchange. She returned to present GMU in the early 1990s. On one occasion on ''Good Morning Ulster'' while interviewing former Ulster Unionist Party deputy leader John Taylor she objected to what she perceived as his patronising style and stated "I am not your dear girl." In 2009 she began to present the lunchtime ''Talk Back'' on Radio Ulster, then in 2015 launched BBC R Ulster's Inside Business.

In 2005 Wendy Austin was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters (DLitt), University of Ulster, "for her contribution to broadcasting". She was named the Northern Ireland Radio Broadcaster of the year in the CIPR Awards 2006. Austin was Chairperson of the Arts and Business NI Advisory Committee and a UK Trustee of the charity.
Wendy was awarded an MBE in the 2012 Queen's Birthday Honours, County Down. She was previously married to Peter Hutchinson, with whom she had three children, Niall, Kerry and Clare. She lives in Dromore, County Down.

Crime NI

Wendy Austin as of 15 March 2022 is with Dearbhail McDonald presenting a New Monthly Program on BBC NI Known as Crime NI in Partnership with Crimestoppers The series will also offer regular crime prevention and traffic safety advice "Crime NI"
''BBC NI'', 16 March 2022

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Austin, Wendy
British women radio presenters
British women television presenters
Living people
Members of the Order of the British Empire
Radio personalities from Northern Ireland
1951 births