Anna Botting

Anna Elizabeth Botting (born 1967 in Surrey, England, United Kingdom) is a news anchor with Sky News, a broadcasting network based in the United Kingdom. She currently presents Sky News at Ten and Sky News Tonight from Monday to Friday. Prior to the channel's rescheduling in July 2006, Botting presented "The Sky Report", and from this time, until February 2007, presented Sky News from 6pm until 8pm alongside Jeremy Thompson.

Background

Botting, born 1967 in Surrey, is the daughter of Douglas Botting, explorer and author, and Louise Botting CBE, broadcaster and company director. According to her SKY TV profile, she studied Geography at St Edmund Hall, Oxford University before deciding to pursue a career in journalism. She took a post-graduate journalism course in Cardiff, before starting work in Manchester as a researcher for a social action show for Granada Television. In 1991, Botting took up a job with BBC North as a reporter for Radio and TV. From here she became presenter for the flagship news programme, "Look North".

Botting, most known for her interview with George Galloway MP, joined Sky News in 1995, meaning that she is now one of the network's longest serving presenters. She has presented a wide range of programmes on Sky, including: "Sky News Today", "Sky News at Ten", "Live at Five", "Sky News Tonight"' and "The Sky Report".

Career at Sky

Anna Botting joined Sky News in 1995 as a reporter, before moving into the studio to anchor the news. During the 1997 election Botting shadowed Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown, day-in day-out, for the whole six weeks of the campaign. Botting was also the first journalist to arrive at Kensington Palace the day Princess Diana died.

Botting also covered the death of Pope John Paul II, and anchored coverage of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq from the studio. She was presenting on air when Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic was ousted from office.

In Summer 2006, whilst anchoring from Israel, Botting famously interviewed the British MP, George Galloway about the Israel-Hezbollah war. Galloway criticised Sky News, News Corporation, and Botting in person for being biased towards Israel.

Botting had worked notably alongside the recently deceased Sky veteran Bob Friend before her popular partnership with Jeremy Thompson on "Live at Five" took off.

Personal life

A keen rower during her time at University, Botting took part in BBC Three’s "The Other Boat Race". She was one of twelve celebrities and former Oxbridge students trained and competed in their own version of the world’s most illustrious rowing event. Anna, captaining the Oxford crew, led her team to victory.

External links

* [http://www.skypressoffice.co.uk/SkyNews/AboutUs/biography.asp?id=15 Sky News profile]
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