Kirsty Young

Kirsty Young's journalistic career began in 1989, newsreading and presenting for BBC Radio Scotland. She moved to Scottish Television where she was the presenter of the channel's midday and evening news programmes. At ITN she presented ITV's News at Ten, ITV Evening News and Lunchtime News. She was the sole-anchor for the live coverage of 9/11 for five hours for ITV. For many years, Kirsty Young was Five's main news anchor, as well as presenter of news specials and documentaries including HRH Zara Phillips and King Constantine of Greece, Are Your Kids on Drugs?, The MMR Debate, The Annual Science Museum/FIVE Science Debate, and The Police Bravery Awards. She also hosted the Big Ideas Philosophy Launch with Professor Germaine Greer.

Since 2008 she has been the presenter of Crimewatch on BBC1 and has also presented a documentary series, The British Family, about the changing nature of family life in the post-war era. She is currently preparing a further series about the changing nature of work.

Kirsty received the prestigious Sir James Carreras Award for Outstanding New Talent of 1997 at the 46th Variety Club Showbusiness Awards. In March 1998 she was named Newscaster of the Year at the Television & Radio Industries Club Awards.

This is Kirsty's fifth year presenting Desert Island Discs. She is only the fourth presenter of the programme, which was created by Roy Plomley in 1942. It is thought to be the oldest interview programme in the world and each week a castaway discusses their life and work while also choosing the eight records that have been most meaningful to them and which they would want to have with them on a desert island.

Kirsty was born in Glasgow and brought up in Stirling. She is married and has two daughters.