I left the BBC as the impact of Covid policies on children were being ignored, says Kate Silverton
Kate Silverton, 53, at home with her two children, Clemency and Wilbur – Mike Heron
Kate Silverton said she left the BBC because she felt the impact the Covid lockdown policies had on children were not being questioned rigorously enough by the media.
The former BBC newsreader said she left the industry in 2021 as it no longer brought her “joy”.
The mother-of-two said amid the pandemic she wanted to “‘be in a position where I was helping more” and decided to retrain as a child psychologist.
Silverton told Psychologies magazine: “To be honest, news wasn’t bringing me joy throughout that period of time, and I was questioning a lot of the policies that weren’t being interrogated as rigorously as they might have been journalistically, in terms of the impact I was seeing the pandemic having on children.
“I wanted to be in a position where I was helping more.”
The Government has faced criticism for its decision to close schools for long periods of time during lockdown, as well as its policies on children wearing masks.
The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant has a psychology degree from Durham University.
She joined the national broadcaster in 1997 and was a regular presenter of BBC News at One and BBC Weekend News.
The 53-year-old also made occasional appearances on the BBC News Channel and BBC World News.
At the time of her departure, she said: “My academic background is in child psychology, and becoming a mum really inspired me too.
“My journey has really been decades long, both in understanding more about children’s mental health, and as a parent really benefiting from all the interviews and access to advice that I was given by incredible people.”
She added: “People often ask me – women especially – if there is a second act when it comes to your career, and my advice is always to follow your heart and your joy.
“It can take a massive leap of faith, and I know we’re not all in the position financially where we can make huge leaps, but sometimes when you commit to an idea, providence will follow.
“You can have a second act; you just have to decide what it’s going to be.”
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