Jeremy Paxman Information

Jeremy Dickson Paxman (born 11 May 1950) is a British broadcaster, journalist, author, and television presenter. Born in Leeds, Paxman was educated at Malvern College and St Catharines College, Cambridge, where he edited the undergraduate newspaper Varsity. At Cambridge, he was a member of a Labour Party club and described himself as a socialist, although in later life described himself as a one-nation conservative. He joined the BBC in 1972, initially at BBC Radio Brighton, although relocated to London in 1977. In coming years, he worked on Tonight and Panorama before becoming a newsreader for the BBC Six OClock News and later a presenter on Breakfast Time.

In 1989, he became a presenter for the BBC Two programme Newsnight, during which he interviewed a wide number of political figures. Paxman became known for his forthright and abrasive interviewing style, particularly when interrogating politicians. These appearances were sometimes criticised as aggressive, intimidating and condescending, yet also applauded as tough and incisive. In 2014, Paxman left Newsnight after 25 years as its presenter. Since then, he has done occasional work for Channel 4 News. Since its revival in 1994, he has been the presenter of University Challenge.

Paxman was born in Leeds, the son of steel company employee and former Royal Navy lieutenant and typewriter salesman (Arthur) Keith Paxman, who left the family and settled in Australia, and Joan McKay (née Dickson; 1920–2009). Keith Paxmans father was a worsted spinner, who became sufficiently prosperous as a travelling sales representative to send his son to public school in Bradford. The Dickson family were wealthier, with Keiths father-in-law, a self-made success, paying the Paxman childrens school fees.

He is the eldest of four children: one of his brothers, Giles, was the British Ambassador to Spain (having previously been ambassador to Mexico), and the other, James, is the chief executive of the Dartmoor Preservation Association. His sister, Jenny, is a producer at BBC Radio.

Paxman was brought up in Hampshire, Bromsgrove, and Peopleton near Pershore in Worcestershire. He went to Malvern College in 1964, and later read English at St Catharines College, Cambridge where he edited the undergraduate newspaper Varsity. While at Cambridge, Paxman was briefly a member of the Labour Club. He has since been made an Honorary Fellow of the College.

In January 2006, Paxman was the subject of an episode of the BBC genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are?. The documentary concluded that he was descended from Roger Packsman, a 14th-century politician from Suffolk who had changed his name to Paxman in order to impress the electorate (pax being Latin for peace). Paxmans maternal grandmother was born in Glasgow, Scotland. The programme generated much publicity before its transmission by displaying him with tears in his eyes on camera when informed that his impoverished great-grandmother Mary McKays poor relief had been revoked because she had a child out of wedlock.

Paxman joined the BBCs graduate trainee programme in 1972. He started in local radio, at BBC Radio Brighton. He moved to Belfast, where he reported the Troubles. He moved to London in 1977. Two years later he transferred from the Tonight programme to Panorama. After five years reporting from places such as Beirut, Uganda and Central America, he read the Six OClock News for two years, before moving to BBC1s Breakfast Time programme.

Paxman became a presenter of Newsnight in 1989.

On 13 May 1997 he interviewed Michael Howard, who had been Home Secretary until 13 days earlier after he had held a meeting with Derek Lewis, head of Her Majestys Prison Service, about the possible dismissal of the governor of Parkhurst Prison, John Marriott. Howard was asked by Paxman the same question – "Did you threaten to overrule him [Lewis]?"  – a total of twelve times in succession (fourteen, if the first two inquiries worded somewhat differently and some time before the succession of twelve are included, and once more on his last show).

Later, during a 20th anniversary edition of Newsnight, Paxman told Howard that he had simply been trying to prolong the interview since the next item in the running order wasnt ready.

In 1998, Denis Halliday, a United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, resigned his post in Iraq, describing the effects of his own organisations sanctions as genocide. Paxman asked Halliday in a Newsnight interview, "Arent you just an apologist for Saddam Hussein?"

In February 2003, Paxman was criticised by the Broadcasting Standards Commission over a Newsnight interview in which he questioned the then Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy about his drinking. The commission said that the questioning was "overly intrusive in nature and tone and had exceeded acceptable boundaries for broadcast".

In 2003, Prime Minister Tony Blair opted to make the case for the invasion of Iraq via questions from a TV studio audience, mediated by Paxman. The programme is chiefly remembered for the fact that Paxman asked Blair if he and U.S. President Bush prayed together. Blair replied, "No, Jeremy. We dont pray together." To which Paxman replied, "But why not?"

During the 2005 general election, some viewers complained to the BBC that Paxmans questioning of party leaders had been rude and aggressive. He was criticised for his 5 am interview with George Galloway after his election as the Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow by the just defeated Oona King. Paxman asked Galloway more than once whether he was proud of having got rid of "one of the very few black women in Parliament." Galloway cut the interview short. King later said she "did not wish to be defined, by either my ethnicity or religious background."

On 11 April 2012, he interviewed Russell Brand about his political views and the article he wrote for the New Statesman. The interview went viral as Brand stated that it is futile to vote and that a political revolution is needed. After this interview, Paxman confessed that he previously did not vote either.

On 26 June 2012, he interviewed the Economic Secretary to the Treasury Chloe Smith about Chancellor George Osbornes decision that day to delay plans to increase fuel duty. Paxman questioned the apparent change in her views on fuel duty. Senior politicians, including John Prescott, questioned Osbornes judgement for sending a junior minister onto the programme in place of himself.

The BBC announced Paxmans departure from Newsnight at the end of April 2014. He had told BBC Head of News James Harding and BBC Director General Tony Hall that he wished to leave in July 2013, but agreed to stay on Newsnight for another year after the programme had been damaged by the Savile and Lord McAlpine scandals. In his statement Paxman commented: "After 25 years, I should rather like to go to bed at much the same time as most people."

Paxmans brusque manner is not restricted to political interviews. When around 2005 Newsnights editor decided to broadcast brief weather forecasts instead of financial reports he openly ridiculed the decision: "And for tonights weather – its April, what do you expect?" The financial reports were re-introduced after a few weeks.

Paxman presented his last Newsnight on 21 November 2015 on the BBC News Channel at 23:20 with a Full interview with the Current Affairs. London Mayor Boris Johnson, while they both rode a tandem bicycle, as well as a brief reappearance of Michael Howard who, following on from his 1997 interview, was simply asked: "Did you?" The closing theme was replaced with Id Like to Teach the World to Sing by The New Seekers. The programme ended with a brief post-credits scene with Paxman standing in front of a weather map exclaiming "Tomorrows weather: more of the same! I dont know why they make such a fuss about it" in reference to the 2005 weather forecasts.

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