Kate Louise Thornton (born 7 February 1973) is an English journalist and broadcaster, best known as the first presenter of The X Factor (2004–2006) and for presenting daytime shows including Loose Women (2009–2011) and This Morning (2009–2012). In 2010, she co-presented the first series of 71 Degrees North alongside Gethin Jones.
Career
Journalism
In 1995, at 21 she became the youngest editor of pop magazine Smash Hits. She left a year later, having been unable to prevent a further slide in sales of the magazine.About Smash Hits! Smash Hits Pop Channel website In 1997, she became a Features Editor at the Sunday Times, a post she held until 2001, and also a contributing Editor for magazine Marie Claire, in which position she continued until 2003.Kate Thornton CV at Troika Talent PDF file accessed September 2011
Television Whilst undertaking these new editorial roles, Thornton began a second career in television. In February 1997, Thornton was given her first TV presenting job, on the ITV current affairs programme Straight Up. She was tasked with putting together a photo tribute with music for Princess Diana on the day of her death. In an interview in March 2011, Thornton said: "...because it was a Sunday, the music library was shut and the only thing I had in my car, the only piece of music that was appropriate was "Candle in the Wind" from Elton John's greatest hits." Colleagues attributed the subsequent airplay and then the re-recording of the song to this event. Thornton is quoted as having been doubtful initially, but later having come to accept the possibility: "I never dared to assume for one minute that I was the link. But Nick Knowles (co-presenter on the show) has convinced me that whatever came as a result of it was all down to me."Kate Thornton: Single motherhood, guilt and why she worries about Kate Middleton, Interview by Marianne Kavanagh .
Thornton was the first presenter of the UK series of The X Factor. She presented three series of the show from 2004 until 2006 before being replaced by Dermot O'Leary. Thornton later anchored ITV's daytime series Loose Women, in rotation with Andrea McLean. She presented 233 episodes of the show from 2009. She, and fellow Loose Woman Zoë Tyler, were replaced in 2011 by Carol Vorderman and Sally Lindsay.
Thornton was a regular stand-in presenter on This Morning and in 2010, she co-presented the first series of 71 Degrees North alongside Gethin Jones. Neither returned for the second series. In 2010, she narrated The Nation's Favourite Abba Song. Thornton also presented A Night with Will Young in 2011. She guest presented six episodes of Lorraine in 2012.
Thornton also presented Gravity Games for BBC Two, Women: The Naked Truth Honest for Channel 4 and Breasts Uncupped for Sky1.
She currently hosts The Royal Beat - a topical royal chat show - on True Royalty TV, which is available via Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
Radio Thornton has presented a number of programmes for BBC Radio 2 since 2002. Along with presenting, Thornton was also the writer of the radio documentary From Band to Brand in 2004, and the creator of the radio series Line of Enquiry, inviting an audience to put questions to a number of celebrities, which began in 2007.
From 10 March until 28 April 2013, Thornton presented The Boots Feel Good Forum, a radio show dedicated to health and fitness, which aired on Real Radio and Smooth Radio.
From 2014 to 2016, Thornton presented Paper Cuts, a radio series for BBC Radio 2. The show ran for four series and, in the show, Thornton would chat to celebrities about the headlines they had been involved in. The first guest was Craig Revel Horwood.
She joined Greatest Hits Radio on 26 February 2022, where she broadcasts every Sunday.Kate Thornton: Kate Thornton: All your questions on the Greatest Hits Radio presenter answered. She has taken over the weekday afternoon show from 11 November 2024. From September 2026, she is moving back to Saturday Afternoons when Zoe Ball joins weekday afternoon slot while still doing Sunday Evenings.
Other work Thornton launched cashback site TBSeen in January 2016, along with TV presenters Myleene Klass, Amanda Byram and Denise Van Outen, celebrity chef Lisa Faulkner, actresses Tamzin Outhwaite, Julie Graham and singers Heidi Range and the band All Saints, Nicole Appleton, Natalie Appleton, Mel Blatt and Shaznay Lewis. TBSeen entered administration in September 2018.
Thornton hosted the live Strictly Come Dancing tour in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013.
In 2019 Thornton launched "White Wine Question Time", a podcast that sees her sit down with a celebrity guest each week to ask them three thought provoking questions over three glasses of wine. The podcast first aired in January 2019 with guests Heidi Range, Lisa Faulkner and Angela Griffin. There are currently over 300 episodes in the back catalogue featuring the likes of HRH Princess Eugenie, actress Hannah Waddingham, award winning singer Raye and a host of household names.
During the UK's COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, she also created and hosted "Up Close And Socially Distant", a video series for Yahoo!, where she talked over video call to famous celebrities, front line workers and those leading initiatives to help serve the community during lockdown. The show ran for nine weeks and won a Silver Lovie award.
Personal life Thornton began dating DJ Darren Emerson in 2004.Melanie Swan. Joy of X. The People. 29 October 2006. The couple became engaged in 2007. She gave birth in 2008. Her relationship with Emerson ended in 2011.
In January 2012, Thornton said that after leaving Loose Women she had enrolled at college to study counselling because her television career had "hit the kerb".
Filmography Television Year Title Role 1998–1999 Top of the Pops Presenter Dishes The Power List1998–2000 The Kate and Jono Show Co-presenter Don't Try This at Home Presenter This Morning Reporter 2000 The TV BAFTAs Presenter2001 The Brits are Coming The Brits: Backstage BAFTA Children's Awards 2001–2002 The Ideal Home Show 2001–2003 Pop Idol: Extra Holiday – You Call the Shots 2002 Lad's Army 2003 VH-1's Behind the Movies: Top Gun Narrator 2004 American Idol Guest Westlife - She's The One Host 2004–2006 The X Factor Presenter2005 Celebrity Wrestling Co-presenter Happy Birthday Elton John Presenter Greatest Britons Presenter2007 Britain's Classroom Heroes Co-presenter Royal Variety Performance 2008 Countdown to Midnight: Take That Live Presenter Don't Miss a Trick Presenter Hello Goodbye Elton's New Year's Eve Party 2009–2011 Loose Women Presenter 2009–2012,2018 This Morning Relief presenter2010 71 Degrees North Co-presenter The Nation's Favourite Abba Song Narrator 2011 A Night with Will Young Presenter 2011, 2012 This Morning's Hub Relief presenter 2012 Lorraine Guest presenter 2018 The One Show Presenter of special segment on Smash Hits 2019 Richard Osman's House of Games Panellist 2021 Celebrity Mastermind Contestant 2023 The Hit List Contestant 2024 The Royal Beat Presenter Radio Year Title Role Network Notes 2010–2020 Let's Talk Presenter BBC Newcastle Regular presenter 2011 Going Out with Alan Carr Stand-in presenter BBC Radio 2 2013 The Boots Feel Good Forum Presenter Real Radio & Smooth Radio 1 series 2014–2016, 2019 Paper Cuts BBC Radio 2 4 series (2014–2016) Christmas Special (2019) 2015 Magic's Music of My Life Magic 1 series 2017 Saturday Breakfast Stand-in presenterBBC Radio 2 Kate Thornton's 90s Presenter One-off special 2017–2019 The Zoe Ball Show Stand-in presenter 2022–2024 Saturday Nights PresenterGreatest Hits Radio 2023-present Weekend Anthems 2023–2024 The Smash Hits Years 2024, 2026-present Saturday Afternoons 2024–present The UK Pop 40 2024-2026 National Afternoon Show
References
External links
Kate Thornton's CV Kate Thornton on Greatest Hits Radio Weekend Anthems with Kate Thornton on Greatest Hits Radio The UK Pop 40 with Kate Thornton on Greatest Hits Radio