Julia Somerville Biography
Julia Somerville (Julia Mary Fownes Somerville, Lady Dixon OBE) is an English television news reader and reporter. She has worked for the BBC and ITN.
Julia Somerville attended Airthrie Preparatory School in Cheltenham and later Headington School in Oxford. She graduated in 1969 from the University of Sussex with a BA English Literature. Later on, she joined publisher IPC, working on Homes and Gardens magazine. It was a Women’s Journal and she worked at the PR section of Woman’s Own.
For two years, later on, she was editor of a computer group’s house magazine. In 1972, Somerville joined the BBC as a sub-editor in the radio newsroom. Six years later, she became a reporter. In 1981, she became Labour Affairs correspondent and joined BBC Television News in 1983 to become one of the most recognised faces on television.
Julia Somerville also co-presented the BBC Nine O’Clock News. She introduced the BBC News report broadcast on 23 October 1984. In 1987, Somerville joined ITN and co-presented the Lunchtime News. She also deputised as presenter of News at Ten. Additionally, she presented 3D, a weekly ITV current affairs programme.
Five years later, she was diagnosed with a brain tumour but recovered well after a neurosurgery. She was a member of the News at Ten team until the programme ended a 32-year run in 1999. Julia Somerville served at ITN until October 2001. Somerville has a lifelong interest in painting.
Julia Somerville Photo
In 2001, Julia Somerville was a member of the judging panel for the National Portrait Gallery’s BP Portrait of the Year. She has also served as a judge for several years on the RIBA Annual Architecture Award Panels. On 18 September 2003, Somerville was appointed Chair of the Advisory Committee of the Government Art Collection, for a period of four years.
In 2010, Julia Somerville returned to television news as a presenter on BBC Breakfast News. One year later, she started as an occasional relief presenter of the BBC Weekend News on BBC One. On 15 June 2013, it was announced that Somerville was to receive an OBE for services to art as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Julia Somerville received this award in recognition for her work chairing the Advisory Committee on the Government Art Collection. In 2017 She was a contestant on Celebrity Masterchef on BBC1.
Julia Somerville Age
Julia Somerville was born in Wells, Somerset, England, United Kingdom. She was born on 14th July 1947. Her current age is 72 years old as of 2019.
Julia Somerville Net Worth
The 72 year old Julia has been in the media industry for a very long time now. She started her career in the 1970s and has been in the industry for more than four decades. From her career she has made some huge cash. Julia Somerville net worth is currently under review. It is however estimated that she could be worth something close to $1 million.
Julia Somerville Husband
Julia Somerville is currently married to her husband Sir Jeremy Dixon, Jeremy is an architect. It is not very clear when the couple tied the knot. In 1995, Julia along with her current husband Jeremy got arrested by the Metropolitan Police. They were arrested for sending their daughter’s naked picture to be printed.
When Jeremy went to collect the pictures, police were waiting for him and later on searched their house. Both Julia and Jeremy were suspects and both were further enquired. The allegations were dropped later. Before meeting her current husband, Julia had two other previous marriages.
Her first husband was Stephen Band. They got married in 1970. Five years down the line, things turned bitter and the couple divorced in 1975. In 1984, Julia was then married to Ray Gowdridge. They later divorced in 1992. She has two children named Joseph (born 1983) and Rachael (born 1988) from her second husband.