Lorraine Kelly has opened up about a career setback early in her broadcasting journey, revealing she was left 'crushed' after being told she would never succeed on television because of her Glasgow accent.
In a new interview, the 66-year-old presenter recalled her persistence in applying for roles at the BBC, eventually securing a job as a researcher for BBC Scotland in 1983. Despite loving the role, she aspired to become a reporter.
Kelly told Vernon Kay on BBC Radio 2's Tracks of My Years that she was called into a meeting with a senior boss at BBC Scotland, expecting a promotion. Instead, she was told her accent would hold her back and that she needed elocution lessons.
'It was back in the day when nobody spoke like me,' she said. 'I was really crushed.' However, on the same day, she successfully applied for a reporter role at TV-am in 1984, marking a major U-turn in her fortunes.
Kelly went on to help launch GMTV in 1993 and later fronted her own self-titled ITV show. Earlier this year, it was announced that her programme would be reduced from an hour to 30 minutes on a seasonal basis.
