PERSON: India Willoughby

ITV

Television Newsreader and Broadcaster

India Scarlett Willoughby (born 2 September 1965) is an English newsreader, broadcaster, journalist and reality television personality. She is Britain’s first transgender national television newsreader and the first transgender co-host of an all-women talk show, Loose Women on ITV. She is a previous nominee for a British LGBT Award (2017) and winner of the Diversity in Media Award (2017) for Media Moment of the Year (Loose Women).

Willoughby was born and grew up in Carlisle, Cumbria. Willoughby presented the news in the North East and Cumbria as a TV reporter at ITV Border prior to her transition.

In 2016, she re-joined ITV Border as an on-screen reporter, before moving on a three-month contract to ITV Tyne Tees.

In 2017, she joined 5News on Channel 5 – becoming Britain’s first transgender national television newsreader, reading the lunchtime and evening updates.

The same year Willoughby was invited onto ITV’s Loose Women to tell her story as a guest – but due to the public’s response, she was invited back to be a co-host, in a show featuring Priscilla Presley and Russell Watson.

In January 2018, Willoughby took part in Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother – Year of the Woman.

After Celebrity Big Brother, Willoughby became the victim of social media trolling about her looks. She described herself as “The most hated transgender person in Britain.” As a result, she had facial feminisation surgery in Marbella in 2018.

Willoughby has since been a regular guest on ITV’s Good Morning Britain. She has also appeared on programmes including Channel 5’s Most Shocking Celebrity Moments 2018 and When News Goes Horribly Wrong 2018.

Willoughby left GB News in June 2021 after accusing the broadcaster of demonising transgender people. Willoughby now self-describes her views as “left”.

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