Andrew Neil

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Biography

Andrew Neil is best known for his role presenter of 'This Week' with Michael Portillo and, until recently, Diane Abbott. The Former UK Editor of the Economist, Editor of the Sunday Times, Executive Chairman of Sky Television and Executive Editor of Fox Television News, he is currently a freelance writer and broadcaster. Andrew Neil is a brilliant public speaker; he engages an audience with a clear delivery, a razor-sharp wit and a breadth of knowledge and experience that is unrivalled in his range of specialisation.

Since 1996 he has been Editor-in-Chief of European Press Holdings, publishers of The European and The Scotsman.

Andrew Neil enjoys a reputation for being one of the best public speakers and discussion leaders in Europe, constantly in demand for his wit as an after dinner speaker and for his knowledge and perceptive observations on a range of topics including international affairs, politics, broadcasting and the impact of information technology on business, with special emphasis on the opportunity and challenge of e-commerce.

After graduating in 1971 from the University of Glasgow with an MA in Political Economy and Political Science, his first job was Political Advisor to Secretary of State for the Environment in Edward Heath's government.

He became a correspondent for The Economist in 1973 covering the Northern Ireland situation from Belfast.  He returned to London to become the magazine's political and lobby correspondent in the House of Commons, then its industrial correspondent covering both unions and business.  At the same time Andrew began appearing regularly on British television.  In 1975 he presented the first network special on North Sea oil.  This led to presenting Tomorrow's World, Risk Business, Look Here, as well as regularly appearing on Nationwide, and the Today Programme to comment on economic and political matters.

Andrew became American correspondent of The Economist in 1979, working out of New York and Washington.  He covered the Iranian hostage crisis and the 1980 presidential election, as well as making several documentaries and commentating on British and US radio and television. He returned to London in 1982 to become the publication’s UK Editor.

In 1983 he became Editor of The Sunday Times.  Neil developed the newspaper into an unchallengeable ten-section market leader.  Under his editorship The Sunday Times exposed the full details of Israel's nuclear arsenal, revealed the secret link between Britain's coal union and Libya, published Peter Wright's Spycatcher, named the secret billionaires who were funding the Tory party and published Andrew Morton's controversial book on Princess Diana.  The newspaper became famous for its fierce anti-establishment views and campaigning, investigative style.  By 1994 it was selling between 1.2m. and 1.3m. - over 150,000 copies more than its two nearest competitors combined.  During 1988 to 1990 Neil also presided over the successful launch of Sky Television, bringing multi-channel TV to Britain.  Within a year Sky had reached 1 million homes. He then launched his own Sunday morning radio talk show for London Broadcasting (LBC).

In 1994 Neil was seconded to New York to become executive editor of Fox TV’s first tentative steps into network news. He then hosted a three days a week chat show that was broadcast on BBC television as well as on the World Service. The show was unique in that the high-profile guests negotiated questions not just from Neil himself, but live from viewers throughout the world via the internet. Since 1996, he has presented 12 live prime-time special reports for BBC2 every autumn from all three party political conferences. His autobiography, Full Disclosure, was published by MacMillan in October 1996.

From 1994 he anchored Midnight Hour, a weekly political show for the BBC, and from 1997, Thursday Night Live, a topical talk show for ITV. In the autumn of 1998 he started the Andrew Neil Breakfast Show for BBC Radio Five, a network Sunday morning news programme. He continues to appear regularly on TV on both sides of the Atlantic and has acted as a consultant to NBC News.

Andrew is a key figure in the BBC's politics revamp intended to increase the number of people watching and actively engaging with the democratic process. "This Week" is a fresh approach to politics where Andrew, joined by Michael Portillo and, formerly, Diane Abbott, discusses the week's top political stories. Andrew also presents "The Daily Politics" shown every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Each day Andrew chairs set piece debates with key politicians and commentators.