Fiona Bruce has admitted that she ‘didn’t expect to be working’ at her age as she discusses her presenting roles in a candid new interview.
The 56-year-old BBC staple took over from David Dimbleby to become the first female host of the political show Question Time last year.
But she has revealed that she has no further ambitions for TV heights to conquer, saying that she didn’t even think she would still be on our screens at her age.
Successful career: Fiona Bruce has admitted that she ‘didn’t expect to be working’ at her age as she discusses her presenting roles in a candid new interview
When asked if there was anything she still wanted to achieve in her career, she told The Radio Times:
‘Not at the moment. There should be. But you know, I’m 56 and I didn’t expect to be working at this age. Things have improved in that sense.’
The Antiques Roadshow star also admitted that she ‘rarely’ looks at social media due to abuse from trolls about her appearance and alleged BBC bias.
The mother-of-two said: ‘I rarely look at Twitter because that way can lie madness. But my husband did once show me two consecutive tweets: one said, ”Fiona Bruce is to the left of Trotsky” and the next one said, ”Fiona Bruce has virtually turned this programme into a Conservative Party Broadcast’.’
TV favourite: The 56-year-old BBC staple took over from David Dimbleby to become the first female host of the political show Question Time last year
‘So I have that in a little frame on my desk.’
The TV favourite also revealed her regret at not intervening on Question Time during a debate over Donald Trump.
Welsh actor John Rhys-Davies, known for his role as Gimli in Lord Of The Rings, exclaimed ‘Oh woman!’ at former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas and slapped his palms on the table in the discussion last year.
‘I thought at the time, I should shut him down, and say, ‘That is not how we say things here,” Bruce said.
‘We film the show as live and I always watch it back – which I don’t do with the news any more – to see if there is anything I should have done differently, and on that occasion I should have done.’
Candid: In the interview Fiona also discussed life during lockdown and how her and her family coped during the pandemic. She is pictured presenting The Antiques Roadshow
Family: Fiona married her husband Nigel Sharrocks in London in 1994 after the pair met at an advertising agency. They are pictured together at Wimbledon in 2017
Read the full interview in Radio Times – out now
In the interview Fiona also discussed life during lockdown and how her and her family coped during the pandemic.
She said she became ‘more Zen’ after getting used to restrictions but that ‘in the first week or so I was very anxious, and fearful and worried for my family’.
The broadcaster also said she felt anxiety about contamination while making cups of tea in the shared BBC newsroom kitchen.
However she added that she coped by working out, running and going on long dog walks.
She added that it was a ‘pleasure’ to spend more time with her husband Nigel Sharrocks, who she met in her pre-TV career in advertising, and their two children.
Her son Sam, 20, works in television and her daughter Mia, 16, was due to be taking A-levels this year.
