Moira Stuart: Britain's first lady of news

Newsreader Moira Stuart is taking her talents elsewhere after being dropped from two major roles at the Beeb. As the industry reels over her decision to quit the corporation after more than three decades, DS looks back at the life and times of Britain's first lady of news.

Although Stuart has always refused to disclose her age, it was recently revealed that she was born in Hampstead in 1949. After starting out as an actress, she was soon working as a continuity announcer and newsreader on Radio 4 and Radio 2, making the shift to TV in 1981.

She went on to become Britain's first black newsreader, lending her famous voice and unflappable manner to almost every news bulletin invented by the BBC. She also appeared in TV and radio shows including Cashing In, The Holiday Programme and Who Do You Think You Are, scooping an OBE in 2001 as well as a recent black BAFTA.

Stuart joined BBC Breakfast at the show's launch in 2000, but was controversially dropped when the format was changed in May 2006. In a further blow, she was ousted from Andrew Marr's Sunday AM programme earlier this year, leaving her without a regular job on TV. Although she remained on the BBC payroll, rumours that she was considered "too old" sparked cries of ageism, forcing BBC director general Mark Thompson to defend his decision in Parliament.

Stuart has since been busy showing off her subversive sense of humour in the comedy Extras (where she supplies cocaine to Ronnie Corbett) and as a guest host on Have I Got News For You. Her aloof persona is known to bear little resemblance to her real personality - Andrew Marr once revealed that she shocked MP Norman Tebbit by calling him "babe" and described her off-screen language as "quite peppery".

Stuart has remained tight-lipped about her personal life, but admits to twice coming close to tying the knot in the past. She was outed by Des Lynam as a one-time amour and famously propositioned by John Humphrys at the end of the Six O'Clock News. His off-mic comment: "You're the most sensationally sexy lady I know... the best thing we can do for the next few hours is to make mad passionate love in the basement" was caught on subtitles for the benefit of any viewers who may have missed it.