Nicky Campbell Biography

Nicky Campbell is a radio and television presenter and journalist from Scotland who has presented the BBC Radio 5 Live breakfast program since 2003, BBC One’s Sunday morning show The Big Questions from 2007 to 2021, and Long Lost Family on ITV since 2011. From 1988 until 1996, he presented the game show “Wheel of Fortune” and “Watchdog” from 2001 to 2009. He wrote a book called ‘Blue Eyed Son’, about his own adoption experience in 2004. Campbell currently narrates the C5 Documentary series Nightmare Tenants Slum Landlords (June 2019). Also, he currently presents The Big Questions on BBC One. 

What is Nicky Campbell Famous For?

• Being a Scottish radio and television presenter and journalist.
• For presenting the BBC Radio 5 Live breakfast program since 2003. 

Where is Nicky Campbell From?

Nicky Campbell took birth on 10th April 1961 in Edinburgh, Scotland with the born name of Nicholas Andrew Argyll Campbell. His nationality is Scottish and his ethnicity is Mixed. He was adopted as an infant. His adoptive mother was a psychiatric social worker and his adoptive father was a publisher of maps. He attended the independent school Edinburgh Academy. In July 2022, he disclosed that he witnessed and experienced sexual and violent physical abuse there, which had a “profound effect on [his] life”. He studied history at the University of Aberdeen and graduated with a 2:1 degree. 

In 2002, Nicky Campbell decided to find his Irish biological father. Whereas his birth mother was from a Dublin Protestant family, his biological father was a Northern Irish Catholic thirteen years younger than her. He also discovered that his grandfather had been in the IRA from 1919–1921, and his biological father had been active in the IRA in the 1950s, and still held Irish Republican views. In 2004, he wrote Blue-Eyed Son [Story of an Adoption], his account of being adopted and tracing both his birth parents and his extended families in Ireland. His birth mother, Stella, died in 2007; Campbell spoke at her Dublin funeral. On 12 December 2019, he announced via social media that his mother Sheila had died at the age of 96. She had appeared in her son’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are in 2007. 

Nicky Campbell Career Timeline

• Initially, Nicky got involved in commercial production for radio to gain his Equity card. 
• From 1981 to 1985, he worked at Northsound Radio in Aberdeen. 
• He worked at London station Capital Radio from 1986-1987 presenting on Music Box and joined BBC Radio 1 in 1987 and presenting a Saturday night show from 10 pm to midnight. 
• He took over the weekend early morning show from 6 am to 8 am from Simon Mayo in 1988. 
• He presented the music and interview show which he named Into the Night in October 1988. 
• In early 1994, he took over the weekday drivetime show from 4 pm to 7 pm. 
• After a year, he took over the afternoon show from 2 pm to 4 pm. 
• He left BBC Radio 1 in October 1997. Then, he joined the news and sports network BBC Radio 5 Live. 
•  For 5 years, he presented the mid-morning program on 5 Live. From 2004 to 2011, he co-presented the program with Shelagh Fogarty. 
• Later, he left the breakfast show in May 2011. 
• Next, he presented an interactive program called Now You’re Talking on the radio.
• On 5 November 2021, he presented his final Breakfast show on BBC Radio 5 Live as he prepares to host a new phone-in program on the network. 
• Apart from his radio work, he presented the British version of Wheel of Fortune (1988-1996). 
• He hosted Top of the Pops from 1988 to 1991 and again from 1994 to 1997. 
• He fronted Central Weekend on Central Television in the 1990s. 
• He began presenting the BBC consumer affairs program Watchdog in 2001. 
• In 2006, he appeared in the singing show Just the Two of Us, with Beverley Knight.
• He hosted For the Rest of Your Life for Endemol from 2007 to 2009. 
• Further, he was featured in an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? in 2007. 
• In 2009, he hosted the second series of the BBC Two quiz show Battle of the Brains.
• He has co-presented the BAFTA award-winning Long Lost Family since 2011. 
• He also co-hosted BBC One’s Your Money Their Tricks in July 2013.
• After a year, he presented the four-part series Wanted: A Family of My Own.
• He currently presents The Big Questions on BBC One and has done so since 2007.  
• In addition to his television career, he has also written a lot of music for the station.  
• He has written and co-produced a jazz swing album for singer and actor Mark Moraghan, Moonlight’s Back in Style in September 2009. 
• He is a company director of Mhor Music Ltd., an original music company producing bespoke and original music for feature film, television, corporate media, online content, and ringtones; and Mhor Productions Ltd., a supplier of radio and television programming and broadcasting activities. 
• He alongside Kate Robbins co-wrote and recorded an album, We’re Just Passing Through, which was released on 7 July 2014. 
• He wrote a book called ‘Blue Eyed Son’ in the year 2004. 

Nicky Campbell Awards and Achievements

• Nickey has won seven Sony Awards, including a Gold Award in 2007 for the Radio 5 Live Breakfast program as “Best News and Current Affairs Programme” (with Shelagh Fogarty). 
• Received an Honorary Doctorate from the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen in 2008
• Was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2015 Birthday Honours, for his services to children 

Who is Nicky Campbell Wife?

Nicky Campbell is a married man. Firstly, he married his wife, Linda Larnach, a divorcee; eight years his senior with two sons. He met her while working at a local radio station in Scotland. They then moved to North London where he would later nurse her through a health scare and ME, and encouraged his young stepsons in their footballing endeavors, he hosted auctions to raise funds for their local amateur club. He took time out of his career during Larnach’s illness. When they split, she gave interviews in which she claimed his career break had been a publicity stunt. After that, he married his second wife, journalist Christina “Tina” Ritchie who is the former head of Virgin Radio News, in December 1997 in Kensington. They are also the proud parents of four daughters. Today, Nicky and Christina are living a happy life without any disturbances. His sexual orientation is straight. 

How Rich is Nicky Campbell?

Nicky Campbell is a radio and television presenter and journalist. As of 2022, the net worth of Nicky is estimated to have $10 Million. His main source of wealth comes from his television career. His annual salary is in millions of dollars. He is living a luxurious lifestyle at present. Further, he has not stated details about his assets. He has homes in Salford, Clapham, and Glenelg. 

How tall is Nicky Campbell?

Nicky Campbell is a handsome man with a tall height of 1.92 m. His body build is slim whereas his body weight and other measurements are still to get disclosed yet. His hair color is black-light brown and his eye color is brown. He has been diagnosed as bipolar and has candidly discussed his depression and difficulty in coping with life’s challenges.