Vivien was born in 1957. Following university, she accepted a place on the Broadcast Journalist Training Scheme in 1975, which led to several years working as a studio manager.
Her first direct experience of the world of television came a few years earlier in 1969, when she was team captain for Torquay Grammar School for Girls, on BBC One’s Top of the Form (her team won).
She worked as a reporter and presenter on BBC Radio London (1977).
She moved to BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2 as a presentation announcer/newsreader.
She presented You and the Night and the Music (June 1979 – 1982).
She reported on Wheels (BBC Radio 1, April 1981) and presented Weekend featuring highlights from Women’s Hour (BBC Radio 4, June 1983).
In the 1980s, she had brief spells in continuity with both ITV and BBC TV.
She was an in-vision daytime announcer on Anglia TV (1981), Thames TV (c. 1983 – 1984), an out-of-vision announcer on BBC Television (1983) and an announcer/newsreader at Central TV (c. 1985).
She returned to BBC Radio 2, as the ‘resident weather girl’ on the Derek Jameson Breakfast Show (1986 – 1991). It morphed into a daily on-air sparring with the presenter including much witty banter and gained Vivien a keen fan base from listeners.
She sat in for Chris Stuart in January 1990 and co-presented with Bob Sinfield, the feature Dear Radio 2, on various shows, including those of Gloria Hunniford, Graham Knight and Debbie Greenwood (1990 – 1991).
In the late-1980s, Vivien read out viewers’ letters on BBC TV’s Points of View and even popped up as a holiday relief weather presenter on Breakfast Time (BBC One, 1988).
She was a team captain on Masterteam 87 (25th November 1987) and a panellist on Blankety Blank (BBC One, 14th December 1989).
In 1990, Vivien left to work as a journalist, joining the News Journalist Training Scheme. She put her skills to use in the economics and business unit, before working as a publicity officer in news and current affairs.
In 1989, she relaunched BBC One’s Breakfast News and in 1994 launched BBC Two’s Working Lunch.
She presented The Financial World Tonight (BBC Radio 4, April and November 1992).
Her interest in property renovation prompted her to have a career change and train as a plumber at the turn of the century. However, she returned to the BBC working in Audience Services, escorting visitors around TVC and BH.
She was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in 2016. She continued working in her final part-time job as investigation analyst in BBC Distribution, until deteriorating health led to her retirement.
She later split her time between her holiday home in Devon and Chiswick.
She was later known by her married name, Vivien Stuart-Mossop.
She died in March 2024, aged 70.
Personal information
Clips of Vivien on The TV Room
Vivien may be featured in video/audio clips on our other websites. Click the links below to display a listing (a 404 error will appear if no clips are found):
Online presence
Acknowledgements
With thanks to Lesley Kettle, BBC Prospero magazine for additional information.
PICTURED: Vivien Stuart (BBC Radio 2). SUPPLIED BY: Paul R. Jackson. COPYRIGHT: BBC.
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