Mary Nightingale (born 26 May 1963) is an English journalist and television presenter, best known for presenting the ITV Evening News since 2001.
Nightingale was raised in Exeter, Devon, and was educated at St Margaret's School, an independent school for girls in Exeter.[1] and King Edward VI School in Totnes, Devon. She obtained a BA in English from Bedford College, University of London.[2][3]
She began her career in journalism as a presenter and writer on World Business Satellite for TV Tokyo.[4] She then went on to work for BBC World's World Business Report as a presenter and writer, covering economic and corporate news.[5] Nightingale also worked for Reuters Financial Television in 1994 as a presenter on an early morning financial programme.[4][6][7]
She co-presented Carlton Country, a factual series about life in the countryside, as well as presenting the Holiday programme on BBC One.[8] In May 1994, she became the first presenter of After 5 the London News Network early-evening show. She worked as co-presenter on ITV's coverage of the 1991 Rugby World Cup, and presented from the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa on the regular evening highlights programme.[9] In 1996, Nightingale presented BBC Two's Ski Sunday.[6][10]
Until April 1999, Nightingale was co-presenter with Alastair Stewart of London News Network's flagship news programme London Tonight[9] and was the sole presenter of London Today, Carlton's lunchtime news bulletin.[9]
Nightingale anchored ITV's holiday programme Wish You Were Here...? from 1999 to 2001,[8][11] and also presented The Really Good Food Show.[8]
In 2001, Nightingale was promoted to the ITV Evening News. She was also part of the ITN team covering the 2001 general election.[11]
Nightingale has also fronted various ITV programmes including: Holidays Undercover in 2006,[9] The Girl Who Would Be Queen,[9] and Diana – A Service of Thanksgiving in 2007.[12]
Nightingale was an occasional presenter of the ITV Lunchtime News and ITV News weekend bulletins, and previously acted as a relief presenter on ITV News at Ten before the programme's restructure in October 2015.[13]
In April 2011, she took over from Mark Nicholas[14] as the host of the ITV daytime cookery programme Britain's Best Dish.[15]
On 23 September 2012, she presented William & Kate: The South Seas Tour on ITV.[16]
On 13 December 2016, it was announced Nightingale would become the sole presenter of the ITV Evening News from January 2017 onwards.[17]
In 2002 and 2004, she won TRIC Awards in the category "Newscaster of the Year".[18][19]
Nightingale married television producer Paul Fenwick, the former Human Resource director of Trailfinders in April 2000.[20][21] The couple have two children.[22]