Emily Maitlis is a renowned journalist and presenter known for her fearless interviews and award-winning journalism.
She recently made headlines for her interview with Prince Andrew at Buckingham Palace, where she questioned him about his connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
But there’s much more to Maitlis than just her high-profile interviews.
Born on September 6, 1970, in Canada to British Jewish parents, she has had an illustrious career in journalism. Raised in Sheffield, Yorkshire, Maitlis comes from a family with a history of resilience – her paternal grandmother was a Jewish refugee who fled Nazi Germany.
Fluent in multiple languages including Spanish, Italian, French, and even some Mandarin, Maitlis has presented news across various BBC channels, including BBC Two’s Newsnight, BBC One, BBC News Channel, and BBC World. She has also previously hosted BBC Breakfast and produced bulletins for the BBC.
Throughout her career, Maitlis has not shied away from expressing her opinions or challenging authority. In a powerful monologue on Newsnight in May 2020, she criticized Dominic Cummings, the Prime Minister’s top aide, for breaking lockdown rules, sparking a debate on impartiality.
In 2022, Maitlis announced her departure from the BBC after signing with LBC parent Global. She now co-hosts the daily podcast The News Agents with former BBC journalist Jon Sopel.
Known for her tenacity and dedication to her craft, Maitlis is married to investment manager Mark Gwynne, whom she proposed to during a holiday in Mauritius in 2000. The couple has two children together – Milo and Max.
However, Maitlis has faced challenges in her personal life as well. In 2002, it was revealed that she had been stalked for over a decade by a former friend from her university days, Edward Vines. Despite legal actions taken against Vines, he continued to harass Maitlis, leading to a restraining order and subsequent prison sentences for his actions.
On the professional front, Maitlis has been vocal about issues of gender pay disparity, nearly quitting the BBC in 2017 after discovering pay discrepancies between her and her colleagues. By the time of her departure, it’s believed she earned over £40,000 from external events in addition to her £325,000 BBC salary.
One of Maitlis’s most notable interviews took place on November 16, 2019, with Prince Andrew, where he denied allegations of sexual relations with one of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims. The interview, which received widespread attention, led to further scrutiny of the Duke of York’s responses.
Most recently, Maitlis has been portrayed on screen in the Netflix film Scoop, with Gillian Anderson taking on the role of the seasoned journalist. Anderson admitted to finding the role of Maitlis more challenging than playing Margaret Thatcher in The Crown, highlighting the pressure of portraying a real-life figure.
Scoop, which follows Prince Andrew’s interview with Newsnight about Jeffrey Epstein, is set to stream on Netflix starting April 5, 2024, offering viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the high-stakes world of journalism.
