Biographies

Weather presenter, BBC South West

David Braine became BBC Spotlight's weather presenter in 2003.

In addition to three daily television forecasts for the programme, he also provides radio and website forecasts for the whole BBC South West region.

David was born in London, educated in Somerset and Devon and went on to graduate from Plymouth University with a BSC Hons 2.1 degree in Meteorology and Oceanography.

After graduating he worked briefly for the North Wales Water Authority and from 1985 to 1986 he worked as a sub-sea engineer and diver for British Underwater Engineering based in London, spending a lot of time offshore.

From 1986 to 1987, David worked as research student at Oxford University's Department of Atmospheric Physics, specifically working on the ozone hole and global warming.

In 1987 he joined the Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm) as a Lieutenant, initially to learn to navigate helicopters and then as an environmental expert and instructor.

David still serves in the reserves as a Lieutenant Commander based at Royal Navy Air Station Yeovilton. During his eight year commission he has served both at naval air stations and at sea, travelling all over the world, and he did service during the Gulf War and the former Yugoslavia civil war.

After leaving the Royal Navy, David joined the Meteorological Office in 1995 and became a member of the BBC's team of weather presenters, initially working for two BBC satellite channels.

David went on to become one of the best known BBC forecasters, appearing on all the main television channels and on BBC Radio.

In 1997 he was promoted to Deputy Training Manager and senior broadcast meteorologist.

In 1998 he took over as the Training Manager responsible for training staff at the BBC Weather Centre – and broadcasting staff in the regions – and in 2000 became the broadcast manager of the BBC Weather Centre.

In 2003 David married fellow Spotlight reporter/presenter Julia Peet, and the couple have settled in Cornwall with their young daughter.

David says: "It's great to be working with the Spotlight team, who I've watched and admired for many years. I'd longed to return to the south west and my maritime roots for ages, so being able to get in some decent sailing and surfing and work here is like a dream come true!"

David is a keen sportsman. He is a qualified diving, climbing and windsurfing instructor and also lists skiing, mountaineering and motorcycling among his interests. He also holds a private pilot's licence.