Kate Adie - Born 1945
British Journalist
Added to the album by Julie, A Wonderful Woman
My dad, the most wonderful man I have ever known, always loved when Kate Adie reported on BBC news. I think he had a huge amount of respect and admiration for this woman of small stature reporting from some of the world's most dangerous places. Thinking back, I see that, perhaps subconsciously, she was the kind of role model he wanted for my sister, Emma and I. Now in my thirties, I understand why and writing about Kate and the other women in this album reinforces that there are strong, independent women for young girls to aspire to be like and I wish they were given more focus than some other women in the public eye... perhaps I shouldn't say that but I can't help but think how many negative role models are thrust onto the attention of girls and young women when there are clearly so many positive ones we could choose instead.
She's got some bottle.
John, My Wonderful Father
Kate worked her way up through the ranks of the BBC, starting as a Production Assistant with BBC Radio Durham. She moved through positions at various local stations, learning the business and learning from established journalists. In 1976, she joined the corporation's national news team. In 1980, the Iranian Embassy in London was taken over by gunmen who held the occupants hostage and made demands from the British government, the climax of the siege was the storming of the embassy by the Special Air Service (S.A.S), Kate was the first Reporter on the scene as the S.A.S stormed the building and reported live whilst crouched behind a car. It was this coverage that made Kate's name and from that point she reported regularly from across the world, in war zones and scenes of disaster, often wearing a flak jacket and yards away from danger.
Her reporting style always frank and direct, she was unabashed by the scenes around her and her femininity never an issue. She had earned the right to be there, did what she did better than any man and she remained professional in the most difficult of circumstances, indeed she did once sustain a minor gunshot wound whilst reporting from China.
Her professionalism and hard-work led to her promotion to Chief News Correspondent in 1989, a post she held for fourteen years. She has also been presented with many industry awards, including the Richard Dimbleby Award from BAFTA and she has been presented with honorary degrees from no less than ten British universities.
Her career now in it's fifth decade, Kate continues to work as a Journalist, she presents From Our Own Correspondent on BBC Radio 4 and has presented a number of other programmes
Her book was fantastic!
Melanie, A Wonderful Woman
In fact, Kate has written four books in total, including her autobiography The Kindness of Strangers.
A true female trail blazer and a very wonderful one at that.
I've watched from behind walls, crouched behind armoured vehicles and scuttled through gunfire, always conscious that there will be ordinary citizens quite prepared to do extraordinary deeds that will still amaze me.
Kate Adie
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