Jeremy Paxman

Jeremy Paxman
Paxman in May 2014
Born
Jeremy Dickson Paxman

(1950-05-11) 11 May 1950 (age 74)
Leeds, England
EducationMalvern College
Alma materSt Catharine's College, Cambridge
Occupation(s)Broadcaster, journalist, author
Years active1972–2023
Employer(s)BBC (former), Channel 4 (former)
Known forFormer Newsnight Presenter and former Quizmaster of University Challenge
TelevisionNewsnight (1989–2014)
University Challenge (1994–2023)
Christmas University Challenge (2011–2022)
PartnerElizabeth Ann Clough (1981–2016)
Children3
RelativesGiles Paxman (brother)
Websitejeremypaxman.co.uk

Jeremy Dickson Paxman[1][2] (born 11 May 1950) is an English former broadcaster, journalist and author.

Born in Leeds, Paxman was educated at Malvern College and St Catharine's 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, in later life describing himself as a one-nation conservative. He joined the BBC in 1972, initially at BBC Radio Brighton, relocating to London in 1977. In following years, he worked on Tonight and Panorama, becoming a newsreader for the BBC Six O'Clock News and later a presenter on Breakfast Time and University Challenge.

In 1989, he became a presenter for the BBC Two programme Newsnight, interviewing many political figures. Paxman became known for his forthright interviewing style, particularly when interrogating politicians.[3] These appearances were sometimes criticised as aggressive, intimidating and condescending, yet also applauded as tough and incisive.[4] In 2014, Paxman left Newsnight after 25 years as its presenter.[5] Since then, he has done occasional work for Channel 4 News. From its revival in 1994 up until he stepped down from the show in 2023, he presented University Challenge and its Christmas spin-off from 2011 to 2022. In 2022, he announced he was standing down, as he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.[6]

  1. ^ Paxman, Jeremy Dickson (Online ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. December 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
  2. ^ Burrell, Ian (25 August 2007). "Jeremy Paxman: The outsider". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 4 February 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  3. ^ "Jeremy Paxman to publish BBC memoirs". BBC. 1 December 2014. Archived from the original on 8 April 2017.
  4. ^ Mosey, Roger (20 April 2005). "BBC and the 'Paxman Problem'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 21 December 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  5. ^ Hannah Ellis-Petersen "Jeremy Paxman to quit Newsnight after 25 years" Archived 1 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine, theguardian.com, 30 April 2014
  6. ^ "Jeremy Paxman to step down as University Challenge host". Sky News. Retrieved 16 August 2022.