Charlene Denise White (born 22 June 1980) is a British television broadcaster, journalist and presenter, best known for presenting ITV News programmes. She has been an anchor on Loose Women since 2021.[1] White, Brenda Edwards, Judi Love and Kéllé Bryan became the first all black panel in the show's 25-year history; the panel has featured several times.[2] White also appeared on the ITV reality show I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in November 2022.[3][4][circular reference]

Charlene White
White at the British Library in 2023
Born
Charlene Denise White

(1980-06-22) 22 June 1980 (age 44)
Greenwich, London, England
Occupation(s)Journalist, presenter
Employers
Children2

Early life

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White was born in Greenwich, London, to West Indian parents.[5] She has a brother and sister.[6] She attended Riverston School and Blackheath High School in southeast London and graduated from the London College of Communication.[7]

Career

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White was a presenter and senior broadcast journalist at BBC Look East, Radio 5 Live Morning Reports, BBC Three 60 Seconds and BBC News.[7] She also had her own late-night talk show on BBC London 94.9.[7]

In 2002, she joined Radio 1 Newsbeat and its sister digital station BBC Radio 1Xtra as a reporter.[7] In 2005 she teamed up with DJ G Money as presenter on 1Xtra's two-hour news, magazine and documentary programme TX. She has also previously worked as a reporter and producer for ITV News Meridian on ITV Meridian in Kent.[5]

In 2008, she joined ITN, as a newscaster for the ITV News at 5:30 on ITV. Additionally she would present three short opts which aired as part of GMTV (later Daybreak) for ITV News London on ITV London. She discontinued these roles on 10 October 2012, though remained as a presenter of ITV News London's main 6pm programme.

On 9 April 2014, White became the first black woman to present ITV News at Ten and was an occasional relief presenter until October 2015. She also occasionally presented the ITV Weekend News until 2019.

White continues to act as relief presenter of the ITV Lunchtime News & ITV Evening News.

On 30 May 2019, White was announced as lead presenter of ITV News London's main 6pm programme.[1][8]

On 12 August 2020, White made her debut as a guest presenter of Loose Women. She returned on 11 January 2021, where it was announced she was to become a regular presenter, following Andrea McLean's departure from the show.[2][9]

In November 2022, White appeared in series 22 of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.[10][11][12] On day 13, White was the first celebrity to be evicted.[13][14]

Personal life

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White lives in south London.[7][5]

While presenting an ITV News bulletin, she refused to wear a Remembrance Day poppy, stating: "I prefer to be neutral and impartial on screen so that one of those charities doesn't feel less favoured than another." It was reported that following the decision to not wear a poppy, she faced racist and sexist abuse on Twitter.[15]

White and her partner have two children, a son born August 2017 and a daughter born October 2019.[16][6]

In the 2020 and 2021 editions of the Powerlist, White was listed in the Top 100 of the most influential people in the UK of African/African-Caribbean descent.[17][18]

Filmography

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Year Title Role
60 Seconds Presenter
BBC Look East Newsreader/reporter
ITV News Meridian Reporter
2008– ITV News London Newsreader/presenter
2008–2012 ITV Morning News Presenter
2014–2015, 2020– ITV News at Ten Occasional presenter
2014, 2016 Tonight Guest reporter
2014– ITV Lunchtime News Relief presenter
ITV Evening News
2014–2019 ITV Weekend News Presenter
2020 Have I Got News For You Panellist
2020 Reporting Coronavirus Reporter
2020, 2021– Loose Women Anchor
2021 Trevor McDonald and Charlene White: Has George Floyd Changed Britain? Presenter
Charlene White: Empire's Child Presenter[19]
2021–present Celebrity Gogglebox Herself alongside Judi Love
2022 I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Contestant; Series 22
2024 James Martin's Saturday Morning Guest

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b ITV News selects Nina Hossain as lead presenter of Lunchtime News Amy Wilson, Response Source, 30 May 2019
  2. ^ a b Hegarty, Tasha (11 January 2021). "Loose Women announces Charlene White as new presenter". Digital Spy. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Meet Charlene White: I'm a Celebrity contestant and TV presenter". radiotimes.com.
  4. ^ "I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here".
  5. ^ a b c London Tonight – Meet the Team, ITV London Archived 15 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ a b Charlene White, It takes more than a doll to ingrain gender biases in kids. i, London, 22 January 2022, page 33.
  7. ^ a b c d e Me & My career: Charlene White Pride Magazine, 22 September 2010.
  8. ^ Farmer, Ciara (11 January 2021). "Loose Women's new anchor is REVEALED as journalist Charlene White". www.msn.com. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  9. ^ Campbell, Joel (11 January 2021). "Now you can't miss Charlene White on Loose Women". Voice Online. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  10. ^ "I'm A Celebrity 2022 line-up unveiled with Boy George among stars heading to the jungle". ITV News. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  11. ^ "I'm A Celebrity 2022: Mike Tindall, Boy George and Chris Moyles in line-up". BBC News. 1 November 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  12. ^ "I'm a Celebrity 2022 line-up: Confirmed cast of contestants taking part". Radio Times. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  13. ^ Badshah, Nadeem (18 November 2022). "Charlene White first to be eliminated from I'm a Celebrity". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  14. ^ Vassell, Nicole (19 November 2022). "I'm a Celeb: Charlene White becomes first campmate to be eliminated after public vote". The Independent. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  15. ^ Hickey, Shane (13 November 2013). "ITV news presenter hits back after abuse for not wearing poppy". The Guardian.
  16. ^ Kent, Sara-Aisha (12 November 2019). "ITV news anchor Charlene White announces birth of baby daughter". Daily Mirror.
  17. ^ Mills, Kelly-Ann (25 October 2019). "Raheem Sterling joins Meghan and Stormzy in top 100 most influential black Brits". mirror. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  18. ^ Lavender, Jane (17 November 2020). "Lewis Hamilton ends incredible year top of influential Black Powerlist 2021". mirror. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  19. ^ "Charlene White: Empire's Child". itv.com/presscentre. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
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