James O Brien Biography

James Edward O’Brien commonly known as James O Brien was born on 13 January 1972. He is a British journalist, television presenter, radio presenter, and podcaster. He is a presenter on talk station LBC, airing on weekdays between 10 am and 1 pm. He hosts a phone-in discussion of current affairs and news, views and real-life experiences. He also hosts a weekly interview series with JOE titled Unfiltered with James O’Brien. He also has occasionally presented Newsnight for the BBC.

He was educated at the independent Ampleforth College and later read Philosophy and Economics at the London School of Economics. When you view him on his political stands he prefers to be described as “liberal” rather than “left-wing”. Before his broadcasting career, O’Brien was an editor of the Daily Express gossip column written under the pseudonym William Hickey. He has also had his work published in Cosmopolitan and The Spectator. He published a book in 2015 on attitudes about immigration called Loathe Thy Neighbour.

James O Brien Broadcasting Career

O’Brien was a panellist on the Channel 5 programme The Wright Stuff since 2000 to 2002. O’Brien presented A Knight with O’Brien, a talk show on Anglia Television in 2001. With his wife, Lucy (McDonald) O’Brien, he fronted Channel 5’s 2001 general election talk show 5 Talk, securing a review from Clive James, who wrote: “James, in particular, is a pink-shirted walking encyclopedia of political savvy”. O’Brien and wife Lucy have occasional weekend and Bank Holiday phone-ins for LBC. Other regular appearances include Sky News, The Big Questions (BBC One) and The Alan Titchmarsh Show (ITV).

LBC
O’Brien first appeared on LBC during 2002 as a holiday cover presenter. His own weekly programme began in January 2003 and he became a full-time presenter in 2004. Regular features of his show include the “Mystery Hour,” in which listeners phone in with various things that puzzle them and other callers attempt to give a solution.

O’Brien made national headlines in April 2009 when footballer Frank Lampard phoned his show to object to tabloid stories about his private life and O’Brien’s discussion of them. Lampard’s former fiancée, Elen Rivas, had alleged that Frank Lampard had turned their home into a bachelor pad while she and Lampard’s children were living in a rented flat. Lampard phoned in, objecting to the assertion that he was “weak” and “scum” and said that he had fought “tooth and nail” to keep his family together. Public comments on Lampard’s reaction praised Lampard’s “brave” and “articulate” handling of the situation.

The exchange later earned O’Brien, who defended his conduct in an equally heated exchange with Kay Burley on Sky News, a Bronze Award in the Best Interview category of the 2010 Sony Radio Academy Awards. In 2013, O’Brien clashed with Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith in an argument over the Government’s work programmes. In May 2014, O’Brien interviewed UKIP leader Nigel Farage, which was cut short after Farage objected to questions about his expenses. During the interview, O’Brien picked up on Farage’s comment that he felt uncomfortable on a train at not being able to hear anyone speaking English.

Farage was also criticised by O’Brien for misinterpreting English as a second language with unable to speak English at all, and for saying he would be concerned if a group of Romanian men moved in next door to him. A video of the interview went viral and established O’Brien’s national reputation. O’Brien has been singled out as a presenter on LBC, as his views have been in sharp contrast to fellow presenters, including Farage, Nick Ferrari and Katie Hopkins, though O’Brien has frequently criticised Jeremy Corbyn. He enjoys the freedom that LBC gives him to express his views.

James O Brien during an interview

Television
O’Brien began occasionally guest presenting on the BBC Two programme Newsnight in August 2014. Following the widespread interest in O’Brien’s interview with Farage, it was speculated he would be a permanent replacement for longtime host Jeremy Paxman, who intended to step down. The job was ultimately taken by Evan Davis. The Sun criticised O’Brien’s presence on Newsnight, calling him a “professional leftie propagandist”.

O’Brien left Newsnight in January 2018 after being criticised for his anti-Brexit and Trump views, which were felt to be out of step with the corporation’s policy on neutrality. He departed on good terms, saying the BBC still had the finest selection of journalists in the world. In 2015, O’Brien presented his own ITV chat show called O’Brien which aired for ten episodes in a daytime slot before it was cancelled.

Podcast
In 2017, James began hosting a new podcast at JOE.co.uk titled Unfiltered with James O’Brien. The show is described as “a revealing and candid one hour conversation with a different special guest every week, featuring the best from the worlds of sport, politics and entertainment.” Guests on the podcast so far have included Russell Brand, Alastair Campbell, Lily Allen, Mark Hamill, Eric Cantona, Jon Ronson, Gary Lineker, Sir Nick Clegg, Robert Webb, Bill Browder, David Baddiel and Matt Lucas.

James O Brien Mystery Hour

James O Brien Adopted

It is true that he was adopted and is of Irish ancestry.

James O Brien Twitter

Tweets by mrjamesob

James O Brien News

“Mark Carney Is More Patriotic Than Rees-Mogg And Farage” Says James O’Brien.

Updated on: 14 September 2018.

James O’Brien believes, despite being Canadian, the Governor of the Bank of England is more “patriotic” than all of the Brexiteers.

After Mark Carney warned ministers over the economic dangers of a “No-deal” Brexit, James O’Brien defended the Governor of the Bank of England saying he’s acting in the UK’s best interests. Yesterday Mr Carney predicted that leaving the EU without a deal could result in house prices plummeting by up to 35 per cent.

The LBC presenter said: “Mark Carney is probably doing more to safeguard the security in this country than anybody in Parliament.

“I’d love to know why he’s doing it. Look at all the shenanigans he has to endure from the usual idiots on the racist right shouting at him and abusing him and criticising him.

“You remember the morning of the referendum result where Mark Carney was the grownup. Johnson and Gove looking like they’d been caught with their fingers in the biscuit tin. Cameron and Osborne packing their bags, Corbyn missing in action as usual.

“Mark Carney was the one who stood up and said we’re going to be ok. Mark Carney was the one who brought in policies specifically designed to prevent his own economic predictions coming true.

“How does the bovine Brexiteer respond? Saying his predictions didn’t come true and so he can’t be trusted.

“He’s not British, he’s Canadian. But he’s got more patriotism in his little finger than Jacob Rees-Mogg, Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson in their entire bodies.

“He has got one of the toughest jobs in international finance as Brexit comes closer. He won’t walk away. That’s a sign to me of immense honour, loyalty and dedication to duty.

“Which of course hardcore Brexiteers don’t know what it is. They march around like pigeons essentially claiming to be patriots whilst essentially flushing the country down the toilet.”

Source: https://www.lbc.co.uk