Lucy Owen
| Lucy Owen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
Lucy Jane Cohen 28 November 1970 Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales |
| Occupation | Newsreader |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Notable credit(s) |
Wales Tonight BBC Wales Today |
| Spouse(s) | Rhodri Owen |
| Children | Gabriel Owen (b. 10 March 2008) |
Lucy Owen (born Lucy Jane Cohen, 28 November 1970) is a Welsh television news reader.
Early life
Owen attended Howell's School in Llandaff, Cardiff, and graduated from Royal Holloway, University of London, in English.
Career
Owen began her broadcasting career at BBC Radio Wales as a researcher, later progressing to a reporting and co-presenting role for a features programme. She joined HTV Wales in 1995 as a newsreader for regional opt-outs during GMTV, and between 1996 and 2007, she co-presented Wales Tonight, the regional news programme on ITV Wales, broadcast from Cardiff.
Owen presented on the now defunct ITV News Channel, and was also seen anchoring the main ITV News: Lunchtime News, Evening News and Weekend News. Owen signed off from her last edition of Wales Tonight on Friday 19 October 2007.
In a surprise but personally motivated move,[1] from Monday 5 November 2007 Owen began presenting the BBC Wales evening news programme BBC Wales Today, replacing long-standing presenter Sara Edwards.[2] To Owen's surprise it then came to light that she was following in her late father – Jeff Cohen's – footsteps as he had worked as an occasional freelance newsreader on Wales Today in 1962 whilst establishing his estate agency business.[3][4] As a result of the channel move, Owen also joined her husband on the team of BAFTA award winning X-Ray.
Owen is also one of eight celebrities chosen to participate in an intense week learning Welsh in an eco-friendly chic campsite in Pembrokeshire in the series cariad@iaith:love4language shown on S4C in May 2012.
Personal life
Owen married fellow Welsh television presenter Rhodri Owen in June 2004 at St Andrew's Church in St Andrews Major near Dinas Powys.[5] The couple live in Llangan, and London.[6] After trying to conceive, the couple undertook treatment via IVF.[7] Their son Gabriel was born on 10 March 2008 by Caesarean section, weighing 5 lb 12oz (2.3 kg).[8][9]
Known in Wales for her charity work, Owen works with a range of cancer charities, St John Ambulance,[10] and Bobath Children's Therapy Centre Wales which provides specialist Bobath therapy to children who have cerebral palsy; she is also an ambassador for the Prince's Trust in Wales.
References
- ↑ So why did Lucy Owen join the BBC? Western Mail – August 31, 2007
- ↑ Changing faces of BBC Wales news BBC News – 29 August 2007
- ↑ Internal BBC memoranda
- ↑ personal recollections of 1962 Wales Today presenter Brian Hoey
- ↑ December 2005 news story describing Rhodri Owen's day in court after being charged with a driving offence
- ↑ Who will replace Lucy Owen? Ben Glaze, South Wales Echo – October 11, 2007
- ↑ Lucy Owen on the pains and joys of IVF Western Mail – Catherine Jones, September 17, 2007
- ↑ "Lucy Owen's baby makes TV debut". BBC Wales. 21 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
- ↑ "Lucy Owen gives birth to a boy". Western Mail. 11 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-20.
- ↑ St John Ambulance Wales