| Simon McCoy | |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 October 1961 Hammersmith, London |
| Education | Sherborne School |
| Occupation | Journalist, Newsreader |
| Spouse(s) | Victoria Graham |
| Children | 1 son |
| Ethnicity | English |
| Notable credit(s) | Sky News BBC News |
Simon McCoy (born 7 October 1961) is a newsreader for the BBC, and is currently a regular presenter on the rolling news channel BBC News between 8.30am and 11am. He is also a relief presenter of the BBC News at One and of BBC Weekend News.
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McCoy was born in Hammersmith. He was educated at the independent Sherborne School in the town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset, England.
McCoy started his journalism career at the Fleet Street News Agency in London[1] before joining Thames TV as a researcher for Thames News in 1983. After time as a scriptwriter at Thames TV in 1986 he joined the breakfast TV station TV-am as a news editor.[1] In 1988 Simon left to go to a new satellite channel called Sky - initially as a producer on the Sky News breakfast programme Sunrise.
After a year as a general reporter for the station he was appointed Royal Correspondent and between 1991 and 1996 Simon covered all the major stories which affected the Royal Family.
After a job which involved travel around the world throughout the years Simon took a desk job, presenting Sunrise on Sky News.[1][2] He also presented the Tonight programme - a topical chat show involving interviews with people from the worlds of showbiz, politics and sport.
In 2003 Simon co-anchored Sky's coverage of the Iraq war on location in Kuwait and Basra. He was on air for five hours every day of the conflict.[3]
In January 2004 Simon joined the BBC, and could be seen on BBC Breakfast and BBC News 24, initially as a cover presenter for both.[1] In September 2005 he took over the morning slot on BBC News alongside Kate Silverton following Phillip Hayton's sudden departure after Hayton fell out with Silverton. When reviewing the papers the following day McCoy tried to point out the story, but was prevented by Silverton.[4] In December 2007 Silverton left the shift to host the 8pm Update. McCoy's co-anchor on Tuesday-Friday is Carrie Gracie, who previously presented alongside her on Friday.
In 2006 McCoy ceased to appear on BBC Breakfast upon Charlie Stayt's arrival at the BBC, but continued to present BBC One bulletins at the weekend. He returned to Breakfast in 2008 as a stand in presenter.
McCoy appeared as himself, reading the news, in the 2007 BBC Two drama Party Animals. He has also appeared in several episodes of Spooks, in the BBC1 drama Holby Blue, and in The Amazing Mrs Pritchard. Simon also had a newsreading role in the 2006 Anthony Horowitz movie Stormbreaker.
In 2006 McCoy ate a pair of brown leather shoes for charity - raising around £5000 in the process.[5]
McCoy has a son, Max (born 1993), from his first marriage. On 28 September 2007, he married Victoria Graham of BBC South West.[6]