Pavilion Champion: Kirsty Wark
“The Pavilion in Bute is unique – I hope that once again it will be soon be a great cauldron of creativity for all parts of the community. You will be able to make of it what you will and I’m so excited to see it come back to life!!”
Kirsty Wark is Newsnight’s longest-serving presenter. She joined the programme in 1993 and broadcast her last episode in July 2024
ABOUT Kirsty Wark
Kirsty Wark joined the BBC as a graduate researcher in 1976, marking the beginning of a career that has spanned decades in British broadcasting. Today, Kirsty Wark is one of the UK’s most respected broadcasters, celebrated for her incisive interviewing style and remarkable range as a journalist. Known for her longtime role on BBC’s Newsnight, where she’s been a prominent figure since 1993, Kirsty has conducted high-profile interviews with politicians, cultural icons, and thought leaders from around the world. Her ability to ask probing, often challenging questions has earned her a reputation as one of Britain’s sharpest interviewers, capable of navigating complex topics with both intensity and nuance. Whether discussing policy, social issues, or the arts, Wark’s interview technique reflects her dedication to uncovering the truth and her commitment to holding those in power accountable.
Beyond journalism, Kirsty is deeply connected to Scotland’s cultural scene. Born in Dumfries, she has maintained strong ties to her Scottish roots and frequently champions Scottish arts and heritage in her work. She’s a familiar face at major cultural events like the Edinburgh International Book Festival and the Glasgow Film Festival, where her enthusiasm for literature, film, and theater shines. Wark’s cultural contributions extend into her writing, as she is also an accomplished author. Her novels, including The Legacy of Elizabeth Pringle, and The House by the Loch reflect her talent for storytelling and often explore themes of family, history, and identity within a Scottish context. Her work in broadcasting and literature makes her a versatile figure in British media, respected for both her intellect and her deep cultural engagement.
Julie Tait, Pavilion Executive Director with Kirsty Wark in 2015 at the Access All Areas conference, Edinburgh.
The Women Who Changed Modern Scotland
This BBC and Open University Scotland collaboration produced a series focused on women in Scotland. In the “Disruptors episode (1960-1970s) Kirsty meets some of Scotland’s first female firefighters and trade union shop stewards about their attempts to disrupt the world of men, and she discovers how the mothers of the Craigmillar used the arts to revitalise their communities and create new opportunities for their children.
Kirsty Wark:
“Kirsty Wark When I look now at these episodes I realise what we were doing in this series was showing that the story of women literally doing it was all over Scotland – from Elsie Cook in Stewarton who gave her life to football, to the women who ran the 2003 nursery dispute.”
Books by Kirsty Wark:
