Dando, Jill

Born in Weston-super-Mare, Jill Dando’s first job was as a trainee reporter for the local weekly newspaper, the Western Mercury, where her father and brother worked.

After five years as a print journalist, she began working for the BBC, becoming a newsreader for BBC Radio Devon in 1985.

That year, she transferred to BBC South West, where she presented the regional news magazine programme Spotlight (1987 – 1988) and also worked for ITV’s Television South West.

Jill was soon snapped up by BBC TV national bosses, who recognised her great potential.

She made her debut in April 1988 presenting the news summaries within Breakfast Time. When the programme was revamped as Breakfast News, she joined as a presenter (1989 – 1994).

On 7th April 1988, Jill made her first appearance as a presenter of the daytime BBC One hourly news summaries. She appeared again on 24th June 1988 and 1st – 18th February 1989.

She would soon join the BBC TV news team permanently, appearing from 3rd August 1989 until 19th February 1999.

She presented BBC Two’s News View (debut 11th February 1989), BBC One’s Six o’Clock News (debut 3rd August 1989) and the weekend news (debut 19th October 1991).

Away from the news, she became a popular presenter on two long-running factual series: Holiday (BBC One, 1993 – 1998) and Crimewatch UK (BBC One, 1995 – 1999).

Jill’s other television credits include:

• Team member on Telly Addicts (BBC One, 17th December 1990);
• Safari UK with Julian Pettifer (BBC One, 1991);
• Safari UK…Goes Live! with Julian Pettifer (BBC One, 22nd September 1991);
• Reporter on Election 92 (BBC One, 9th April 1992);
• Songs of Praise (BBC One, 4th October 1992);
• The Family Show – live show with Nick Ross for International Year of the Family (BBC One, 5th January 1994);
• Today’s the Day Special (BBC Two, 3rd April 1994);
• Variety Club Special – celebrating 45th anniversary of the charity (BBC One, 1st May 1994);
• Noel’s House Party – received a “Gotcha” (BBC One, 18th February 1995);
• VE50 Buckingham Palace: The Day Peace Broke Out (BBC One, 8th May 1995);
• The National Lottery Live (BBC One, 1995);
• Holiday Outings (BBC Two, 1996);
• International Festival of the Sea (BBC One, May 1996);
• TV60: Auntie’s Favourites (BBC One, 25th October 1996);
• Subject on This Is Your Life (Thames TV/ITV, 8th November 1996);
• Auntie’s TV Favourites (BBC One, 21st April 1997);
• Election 97 (BBC One, 1997);
• Looking Good (BBC Two, 1997);
• The Gramophone Awards (ITV, October 1997);
• Guest presenter on Esther (BBC Two, October and December 1997, October and December 1998);
• Guest presenter on Points of View (BBC One, 28th January 1998);
• Fasten Your Seatbelt (BBC One, 1998);
• Summer Holiday (BBC One, 1998);
• Panellist on Blankety Blank (BBC One, 8th May 1998);
• Diana, Princess of Wales Tribute Concert (BBC One, 1st July 1998);
• Guest on Live and Kicking (BBC One, 31st October 1998);
• Children in Need – Bullseye quiz (BBC One, 1998);
• The Antiques Roadshow Unwrapped – celebrating the programme’s 21st anniversary (BBC One, 20th December 1998);
• Antiques Inspectors (BBC One, 1999).

Jill was tragically killed when shot on the doorstep of her Fulham home, aged 37. She was mourned by many thousands of viewers who loved her charming and easy style of presenting.

On the day of her death, she was due to co-present the Six o’Clock News with Martyn Lewis. He was in a meeting in the City of London when he heard the news.

He recalls: “It was incredible, horrifying. Jill was a genuinely lovely person and a consummate professional. Her loss, in such a shocking way, was unthinkable.

“I wanted to leave Jill’s seat vacant beside me. I said as much to the producer, but I think they felt it would be a bit too melodramatic. In the end, Jennie Bond sat in Jill’s place.

“When you work in news, you develop a higher emotional tolerance so you don’t lose focus however shocked the viewers might be. But it was hard to keep it together.”

She had been due to co-present the BAFTA Television Awards with Michael Parkinson (BBC One, 9th May 1999). The starry night highlighting the best of British television was dimmed for a moment in her memory.

A memorial service was held at All Souls Church, London, on 28th September 1999.

The BBC established a bursary award in Dando’s memory, which enabled one student each year to study broadcast journalism at University College, Falmouth.

BBC News presenter Sophie Long, who was then a postgraduate and had grown up in Weston-super-Mare, gained the first bursary award in 2000.

A musical tribute presented by Carol Smillie and featuring her favourite singers Cliff Richard, Lionel Richie, Elaine Paige and Lesley Garrett was shown on BBC One – A Song for Jill (30th September 2000).

Ground Force: A Garden for Jill (BBC One, 3rd August 2001) was a memorial garden designed and realised by the team in Jill’s memory, using plants and colours that were special to her, located within Grove Park, Weston-super-Mare.

It was opened on 2nd August 2001. It was vandalised in October 2021 and under threat of being closed permanently.

Jill Dando’s Murder: The New Evidence (BBC One, 5th September 2006) was a documentary uncovering new evidence surrounding the murder of Jill and asked whether the jury that convicted Barry George for the crime heard the full story.

The Murder of Jill Dando (BBC One, 2nd April 2019) was a landmark documentary revealing the full story of one of Britain’s most high-profile killings.

Comment

Showreel’s Paul R. Jackson:

“One of the nicest people in the TV business and much missed.

“I sent her a note when she was due to work in London re my research on TV News and she came from the news studio after her Breakfast shift to the Duty Office, hairbrush in hand, to meet me.

“I used to see her around TV Centre and always got a lovely welcome.

“I worked with her on the Grampahone Awards at Alexandra Palace. We had chats about her work and forthcoming wedding to Alan Farthing.

“The last time I saw her was when she presented an award at the NTAs in October 1998 at the Royal Albert Hall, looking so glamourous and happy.

“Such a tragedy that six months later her life was taken in such a brutal way.”

 

Personal information

Clips of Jill on The TV Room

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Online presence

Acknowledgements