Kate Thornton

86
Kate Thornton bigraphy, stories - Television presenter

Kate Thornton : biography

7 February 1973 –

Kate Thornton (born 7 February 1973) is a British journalist and television presenter. Early in her career, she was notable for her articles at the Daily Mirror and for her role as editor of Smash Hits magazine. She is most famous for her role as a TV presenter, hosting the first three series of The X Factor and the anchor of Loose Women for two years between September 2009 to August 2011.

Journalistic career

Thornton started her career at the Sunday Mirror in 1992 as an editorial assistant. She later became a pop music columist for the Daily Mirror. While in this role, Thornton was instrumental in initiating a media controversy concerning the British musical group Pulp. Prior to the release of the band’s single Sorted for E’s & Wizz in 1995, the Daily Mirror printed a front-page story headed "BAN THIS SICK STUNT" alongside a story by Kate Thornton which said the song was "pro-drugs" and called for the single to be banned."Ban This Sick Stunt". The Daily Mirror. 20 September 1995. The pre-release single had an inlay which Thornton alleged showed how to make an origami ‘wrap’ or parcel with the intention of "offering teenage fans a DIY guide on hiding illegal drugs". at PulpWiki.net In an interview with music paper NME on the same day, Kate Thornton was quoted to say: "We wanted to see the sleeve pulled and we thought it was a crusade we would take up single-handedly. I think the sleeve is something that will concern our readers, although it may not concern yours." The band agreed to change the artwork, while continuing to assert that Kate Thornton had misinterpreted the meaning of both the sleeve art and the song’s lyrics. Lead singer Jarvis Cocker released a statement two days later saying: "…’Sorted’ is not a pro-drugs song… Nowhere on the sleeve does it say you are supposed to put drugs in here but I understand the confusion… I wouldn’t want anything we do to encourage people to take drugs because they aren’t a solution or an answer to anything. I don’t think anyone who listens to Sorted would come away thinking it had a pro drugs message. If they did I would say they had misinterpreted it." stored at www.acrylicafternoons.com The Daily Mirror printed his statement, but he was unhappy that the front page article written by Thornton contained the misquote "I don’t want the sleeve to get in the way of what the record is saying, which is an anti-drugs message", which he felt over-simplified the song’s meaning once again. He also criticised Thornton’s decision to contact the father of a victim of an Ecstacy-related death for a response. Melody Maker, 30 September 1995 The Daily Mirror campaign continued, publishing their readers’ response to a poll to have the song itself banned. The single reached number two on the UK Single Charts, and the track featured on the band’s 1995 album Different Class.Roberts, David (editor) (2006) [1977]. British Hit Singles & Albums (19th edition). London: HiT Entertainment. p. 442. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

In 1995, she became the youngest ever editor of pop magazine Smash Hits at age 22, producing her first issue in February 1996 covering the breakup of boy-band Take That. The Independent – Sunday 18 February 1996 She left a year later, having been unable to prevent a further slide in sales of the magazine. Smash Hits Pop Channel website In 1997, she became a Features Editor at the Sunday Times, a post she held until 2001, and also a contributing Editor for magazine Marie Claire, in which position she continued until 2003. PDF file accessed September 2011

Radio career and other events

Thornton has presented a number of programmes for BBC Radio 2 since 2002. As well as presenting, Thornton was also the writer of the radio documentary From Band to Brand in 2004, and the creator of the radio series Line of Enquiry, inviting an audience to put questions to a number of celebrities, which began in 2007.