Thomas Matthew Bradby (born 13 January 1967) is a British journalist and novelist best known as the presenter of ITV's News at Ten. He was ITV News Political Editor between 2005 and 2015 and was also the host of topical debate programme The Agenda with Tom Bradby (2012-2016).
Contents
Early life and education
Bradby's father served in the Royal Navy and Tom was born in Malta in 1967. He is an only child, and both parents have been described by him as exemplary. After a short spell in Northern Ireland, growing up in Newry, County Down and Bangor, County Down, he moved to Great Britain where he was raised in Bracknell, Berkshire. He was privately educated at Westbourne House School and Sherborne School, before studying history at the University of Edinburgh.
Career
Bradby has worked for ITN, producer of ITV News, since 1990 when he joined the organisation as an editorial trainee. He subsequently became producer for ITV's political editor Michael Brunson in 1992.
From 1993 to 1996, Bradby was ITV's Ireland correspondent, reporting on events including the Northern Ireland peace process, the IRA ceasefire and Bill Clinton's visit to Ireland in November 1995. Bradby later became ITV's Asia correspondent from 1999 to 2001. In October 1999, he was shot and injured whilst covering the riots in Jakarta against the newly elected President, Abdurrahman Wahid: he keeps a framed photograph of the day.
Bradby returned to Britain and began a stint as royal correspondent, covering a number of key stories, including the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, as well as the deaths of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. He later became UK editor and then political editor, taking on the role in 2005.
On 16 November 2010, Bradby carried out the first official interview of Prince William and Catherine Middleton at St James's Palace after the couple's engagement was announced. It was reported that Bradby was chosen specifically to conduct the interview owing to a long-standing acquaintance with Prince William. He subsequently attended their wedding as a guest. In 2021, it was reported that Prince William had cut Bradby off for "siding with Harry" after the Megxit affair. Bradby had worked on a 2016 BBC documentary about Prince Harry's charity work in Lesotho and got to know him fairly intimately.
Bradby has since transitioned from reporter to presenter for a variety of programmes: In February 2012, ITV launched a weekly political discussion programme, The Agenda, hosted by Bradby; in August 2013, Bradby presented an edition of News at Ten for the first time; and in May 2015, he presented ITV's main coverage of the 2015 general election. In October 2015, Bradby took over as the main newscaster of the flagship News at Ten.
In June 2016, Bradby led live coverage of the EU Referendum 2016 for ITV News.
In November 2020, Bradby led through the night coverage of the US presidential election 2020 for ITV News, live from Washington, D.C.
On 17 April 2021, Bradby co-presented ITV's coverage of the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh with Julie Etchingham.
Bradby's interview with Prince Harry, Harry: The Interview, was broadcast on 8 January 2023 in advance of the publication of Harry's memoir, Spare.
On 6 May 2023, Bradby co-presented with Julie Etchingham ITV's coverage of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.