Emily Maitlis The Journalist Who Changed the Way Britain Watches the News

She’s the woman who made Prince Andrew squirm on live television, delivered a Newsnight monologue that stopped the nation in its tracks, and then walked away from one of the most prestigious chairs in British broadcasting — on her own terms. Emily Maitlis is many things: a journalist, an author, a podcaster, a mother, and quite possibly the sharpest interviewer of her generation. But who exactly is she, and what is Emily Maitlis doing now? Let’s take a proper look at the life and career of one of Britain’s most compelling media personalities.

Biography Emily Maitlis

Early Life and Personal Background

Emily Maitlis was born on 6 September 1970 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, though she grew up firmly rooted in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. For anyone wondering how old is Emily Maitlis — she turned 55 in 2025, and shows absolutely no signs of slowing down.

Her family background is as fascinating as her career. Her father, Professor Peter Maitlis, was an Emeritus Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Sheffield, while her mother Marion — who studied Italian — later retrained as a psychotherapist. It was a household built on intellectual curiosity, and that clearly rubbed off. Her father’s family had fled Nazi Germany when he was just three years old, adding a layer of historical weight to the family story that Emily has never forgotten.

She grew up in Sheffield alongside her two older sisters, Nicky and Sally, before heading south for her education. Emily Maitlis young years were shaped by a love of literature and theatre — she attended King Edward VII School in Sheffield and went on to read English at Queens’ College, Cambridge, where she earned a 2.1 degree. At university she was involved with The Marlowe Society and took part in theatrical productions, genuinely considering a future as a theatre director before journalism pulled her in a completely different direction.

A Career That Started Far From Home

Before Emily Maitlis became a fixture on British television screens, she was building her skills in some of the world’s most challenging environments. She initially worked as a documentary maker in Cambodia and China — hardly the typical starting point for a future BBC anchor.

She then spent six years working for NBC Asia and TVB News in Hong Kong, first as a business reporter producing documentaries and later as a presenter. It was there, covering the dramatic collapse of the tiger economies in 1997, that she began developing the sharp economic and political instincts that would define her career. Interestingly, she has spoken about how she fell into journalism almost by accident — unable to speak Mandarin, she failed a PR job interview when the interviewer greeted her in the language, and journalism became the path she took instead. Sometimes the best careers begin with a door slamming shut.

Building a Career at the BBC (2001–2022)

Emily Maitlis joined the BBC in the early 2000s and spent two decades growing into one of the corporation’s most trusted and recognisable faces. She became a regular presenter on the BBC News Channel for a full decade between 2006 and 2016, working alongside familiar names like Ben Brown and Jon Sopel. She also presented BBC Breakfast and covered major political events both at home and abroad.

One of her standout moments during this period came in 2012, when she presented the US election coverage on BBC One alongside the legendary David Dimbleby, as Barack Obama faced off against Mitt Romney. It was the kind of high-profile assignment that cemented her reputation as someone who could hold her own on the biggest stages in journalism.

She became the lead anchor of BBC Two’s flagship programme Newsnight in 2018, a role she held until the end of 2021. During her time at the BBC, she also made acclaimed documentaries on subjects as varied as Facebook, Donald Trump, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Madonna — showing a range that went well beyond the studio desk.

The Prince Andrew Interview: A Defining Moment

If there is one moment that defines Emily Maitlis’ career for many people, it is undoubtedly her 2019 interview with Emily Maitlis Prince Andrew. In November of that year, the Duke of York sat down with Maitlis on Newsnight to address his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — and the result was television history.

Prince Andrew spoke publicly for the first time about his connections to Epstein, and the interview did not go the way the Palace had perhaps hoped. Maitlis asked probing, forensic questions that left Prince Andrew struggling to explain key inconsistencies in his account, most memorably around his claim that he could not sweat. The interview was watched by millions around the world and led directly to Prince Andrew stepping back from royal public duties.

It won Emily the RTS Television Journalism Award for Interview of the Year — and it later inspired the Amazon Prime series A Very Royal Scandal (2019), which she executive-produced. The drama starred Ruth Wilson as Emily and Michael Sheen as Prince Andrew, retelling the professional and personal journey that led to that extraordinary evening.

The Newsnight Monologue and the Cummings Controversy

If the Prince Andrew interview showed what Emily Maitlis could do with a difficult subject across a table, her 2020 Newsnight opening monologue showed what she could do with a nation’s collective frustration. During the Dominic Cummings controversy — when the Prime Minister’s chief adviser appeared to have broken lockdown rules — Maitlis delivered a calm but devastating editorial that stated, plainly, what millions of people were thinking.

The BBC received complaints, the Prime Minister’s office was unhappy, and the BBC swiftly apologised and pulled the segment from its streaming service. Maitlis later reflected publicly on this episode at the 2022 MacTaggart Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival, noting that BBC editors had initially been complimentary about the piece, and questioning the speed of the subsequent apology. She used the lecture to warn fellow journalists about the creeping dangers of self-censorship when facing powerful critics — a speech that was widely praised across the industry.

Controversies and Impartiality Questions

No career in front-line journalism comes without controversy, and Emily Maitlis has had her share. In February 2021, she drew criticism after sharing a tweet by Piers Morgan that condemned the government, with Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen arguing she had breached the BBC’s impartiality guidelines.

There was also an earlier episode in July 2019 when she was accused of being unfair towards pro-Brexit commentator Rod Liddle during a Newsnight debate. The BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit investigated and found that she had not been sufficiently even-handed in the discussion. Her supporters would argue these moments reflect a journalist of strong conviction; her critics would argue they reveal bias. The debate itself says a great deal about the pressures journalists face in an era of deeply polarised public opinion.

Leaving the BBC and Starting Fresh

On 22 February 2022, Emily Maitlis announced her departure from the BBC after signing with Global, the parent company of LBC Radio. It was the end of a remarkable 20-year chapter — but the beginning of something new and arguably more free.

So where is Emily Maitlis now? She launched The News Agents, a daily political podcast and radio show co-hosted with fellow former BBC journalist Jon Sopel, and later expanded with The News Agents USA. The shows quickly became some of the most listened-to political podcasts in the UK, praised for their intelligent analysis and in-depth approach. The Emily Maitlis podcast has attracted a devoted following of listeners who appreciate her sharp, engaged style outside the constraints of the BBC.

She also fronted Channel 4’s coverage of the 2024 UK General Election and their US election programming — proving that, free from the BBC, she remains one of the most in-demand voices in British broadcast journalism.

You can follow her commentary and updates on Emily Maitlis Twitter, where she remains active and frequently engages with the day’s news.

Author: Airhead: The Imperfect Art of Making News

Away from the screen and microphone, Emily Maitlis is also an accomplished author. Her book Airhead: The Imperfect Art of Making News, published in October 2019, became a Sunday Times bestseller. It offers a candid, behind-the-scenes look at major news stories and the messy, imperfect reality of the journalism profession — told with her characteristic wit and honesty. For anyone curious about what really goes on behind the polished exterior of broadcast news, it is an illuminating read.

Awards and Recognition

Emily Maitlis’ shelf of awards reflects the respect she has earned across the industry. She won Broadcast Journalist of the Year at the 2017 London Press Club Awards and the Network Presenter of the Year at the RTS Television Journalism Awards in both 2019 and 2020. She received the prestigious German Hanns Joachim Friedrichs Award in 2020, and was recognised by GQ Magazine as one of the most influential people in Britain. In 2012, she also received an honorary doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University — a nod to the city she grew up in.

Emily Maitlis Husband, Children, and Personal Life

Behind the public persona is a private family life that Emily Maitlis guards carefully. Emily Maitlis husband is Mark Gwynne, an investment banker and portfolio manager. The couple met while both were working in Hong Kong in the late 1990s, and in a charming detail, it was Emily who proposed — during a holiday in Mauritius. They married in 2000 and have built a life together in Kensington, London.

Emily Maitlis’ children are two sons. One of them, Milo Atticus, has been mentioned in connection with Eton College — the Emily Maitlis son Eton story attracted some public curiosity, as it offered a rare glimpse into the family’s private world. The couple has largely kept their boys out of the spotlight, which is entirely understandable given the pressures of public life.

Faith and identity have also played a role in family life. Emily has spoken candidly about the dynamics of raising children as the daughter of a Jewish family married to a Catholic husband, describing it as “one of the hardest things in my life — not in a tragic way,” and explaining that the boys have been raised in an open, non-dogmatic environment where every idea is explored freely.

Emily is also known to be a keen runner and speaks four languages — Spanish, Italian, French, and English. And yes, for those who follow her on social media: she does have a dog, and Emily Maitlis dog has made the occasional appearance online, much to the delight of her followers.

Dealing with Stalking: A Difficult Chapter

One aspect of Emily Maitlis’ life that speaks to the darker side of media visibility is her experience with stalking. Over a period of years, she was pursued by a former university acquaintance who contacted her persistently and appeared at her workplace. The individual was eventually sentenced to four months in prison. Emily has spoken openly about this experience, helping to shine a light on the very real risks that public-facing women — particularly journalists — can face. Her willingness to discuss it publicly contributed to broader conversations about journalist safety and the vulnerability that comes with a high-profile career.

Is Emily Maitlis Ill?

Given her high public profile, it’s perhaps not surprising that questions like is Emily Maitlis ill occasionally circulate online. There is no credible public information suggesting that Emily Maitlis has any serious health issues. She remains active, continues to host her podcast regularly, appears at public events, and seems very much in full form. The question likely stems from natural public concern about a well-known figure, but based on all available evidence, she is doing well.

What Is Emily Maitlis Doing Now?

So, what is Emily Maitlis doing now in 2025 and beyond? She is co-hosting The News Agents and The News Agents USA podcasts with Jon Sopel, which continue to be among the most popular political podcasts in the UK. She remains active on Emily Maitlis Twitter, engaging with current events and the ongoing debates in British media. She is also a sought-after keynote speaker and moderator at major business and media conferences — her reputation as someone who can hold a room, ask the difficult question, and make complex issues accessible is as strong as ever.

Emily Maitlis is, in many ways, more relevant now than she has ever been — not despite leaving the BBC, but partly because of it. Freed from institutional constraints, her voice has found new audiences and new platforms, and she continues to shape how British people think about journalism, accountability, and the media’s role in democracy.

Final Thoughts

From a young girl growing up in Sheffield who dreamed of directing theatre, to a global journalist who held a prince to account on live television — the story of Emily Maitlis is one of talent, tenacity, and an unflinching commitment to asking the question others might shy away from. Whether you know her from Newsnight, the Prince Andrew interview, her podcast, or her book, one thing is certain: Emily Maitlis has earned her place as one of the defining journalists of her era.

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