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Lorraine Kelly is celebrating 40 years on daytime TV with a special ITV documentary – but was once told she would not land a career in the industry because of her strong Scottish accent.
The award-winning presenter, journalist and author, 64, will mark her incredible four decade long career with a documentary titled ‘Lorraine Kelly: 40 Unforgettable Years’ which will air on October 2 at 9pm.
It will explore Lorraine’s childhood growing up in Glasgow to her life and achievements up to the present day.
The documentary will also include interviews with her family and friends while taking an insight into the origins of her work ethic and values which remain with her today.
Her fellow ITV stars and formers hots are full of praise for Lorraine, with GMB’s Susanna Reid calling her ‘a trailblazer for women’ in the documentary.
Lorraine Kelly is celebrating 40 years on daytime TV with a special ITV documentary
The award-winning presenter, journalist and author, 64, will mark her incredible four decade long career with a documentary titled ‘Lorraine Kelly: 40 Unforgettable Years’ which will air on October 2 at 9pm
The documentary will explore Lorraine’s childhood growing up in Glasgow to her life and achievements up to the present day
Piers Morgan said: ‘Lorraine is an iron first in a velvet glove. She creates a persona that people think is very benign, very nice, very smiley but underneath it is a proper journalist.’
This Morning star Alison Hammond added: ‘She definitely has paved the way for other presenters and the likes of me who have different accents,
Over her forty year journey in the industry, the TV presenter has been the front of a whole range of breakfast and daytime television shows including GMTV, Good Morning Britain and This Morning.
However, she is probably best known for presenting her self-titled ITV show Lorraine throughout the week – which has been running for fourteen years.
But her journey to the top has not been a straightforward one, as she was met with many obstacles along the way.
Speaking on the struggles she faced when starting out in the industry, Lorraine said: ‘I was given opportunities that, sadly, have become almost non-existent. I went straight to my local newspaper from school and then to the BBC (after acquiring a bottom drawer full of rejection letters).
‘In fact, I was told by the boss of BBC Scotland that I would never make it in TV because of my working-class Glasgow accent.
‘It was actually the best thing that could have happened: that comment spurred me to phone the boss of the relatively new breakfast TV station TV- am, who asked me to come down for an interview and then hired me as Scottish correspondent (Bruce Gyngell was Australian so didn’t have the same class prejudices reporter!).
Lorraine Kelly has revealed a TV boss told her she would never make it in the industry due to her ‘working-class Glasgow accent’
Speaking on the struggles she faced when starting out in the industry, Lorraine explained: ‘In fact, I was told by the boss of BBC Scotland that I would never make it in TV because of my working-class Glasgow accent.’
She added: ‘The high cost of living and working now makes it almost impossible for working class kids from the rest of the country to accept a job in London. That has to change. There also needs to be more opportunities outside of London.
‘We quite rightly have stressed the importance of diversity in recent years, but that also has to include young working-class people who understand and can relate to the vast majority of our viewers. It is in all of our interests to make sure they have the opportunity to have their voices heard.’
Despite such a lengthy career, Lorraine has arguably had her best year so far after she collected a special award at the 2024 BAFTA TV Awards earlier this year.
The mum-of-one received a standing ovation when she took to the stage to accept the award which was given to her by actor Brian Cox.
On receiving the award, Lorraine said: ‘It really is an extra special award as it is coming from BAFTA and I feel very honoured. It will be such an incredible evening and I am really looking forward to it.’
The ITV star also welcomed her first grandchild this year, with her daughter Rosie Kelly Smith and fiancé Steve White welcoming baby Billie into the world in August.