Rebecca Hardy
Rebecca Hardy is a journalist and celebrity interviewer for Associated Newspapers, publishers of The Daily Mail and Mail On Sunday.
Born in Haslemere, Surrey, Rebecca trained as a journalist on the Brighton Evening Argus after graduating from Aberdeen University with a Masters in English Literature and Language.
She began writing for the Daily Mail in 1990 and was promoted to Los Angeles correspondent in 1994 where she was based for two years interviewing such Hollywood legends as Kirk Douglas.
Running up more than 300,000 air miles, she also reported on a numerous stories in North and South America from the Oklahoma bomb to Hugh Grant’s hooker and was short-listed for Press Gazette foreign correspondent of the year.
Following her return to London, Rebecca was employed as the Daily Mail’s show-business editor. She worked again in the States in 1997 to cover the trial of nanny Louise Woodward, becoming the only journalist to spend time with Woodward upon her release from prison.
In 1999, Rebecca was short-listed Press Gazette interviewer of the year for her exclusive interviews with Woodward and Sir Paul McCartney. She was short-listed for the prestigious award again in 2000, following her exclusive interview with Rogue Trader Nick Leeson upon his release from his Singapore prison.
In 2000, she was appointed editor of The Scotsman becoming, at the age of 35, the first woman to edit a daily Scottish newspaper. She has also made regular appearances on Newsnight and Question Time.
Rebecca’s compelling celebrity interviews have included Nicole Kidman, John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Kate Hudson, Ray Winstone, Sir Edward Fox, Greta Scaachi and Christian Slater; pop stars Tom Jones, Robin Gibb, Bill Wyman, Bon Jon Bovi, Mick Hucknall, Donovan, Blondie, Maria Carey, Lulu, Ozzie Osbourne and Ronan Keating; comedians Vic Reeves, Ruby Wax, Griff Rhys Jones, Rowan Atkinson and Lee Evans; sportsmen Andy Murray, Tim Henman, Pat Cash, Illie Nastase, Graham Thorpe, Gavin Henson, Nick Faldo and Colin Hendry; presenters Simon Cowell, Des Lynam, Carol Vorderman, Les Dennis, Gaby Roslin, Vanessa Feltz, Jamie Theakston, Sir Alan Sugar and Anne Robinson; celebrity chefs Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsay, Jean-Christophe Novelli, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and John Burton-Race.
When not interviewing, Rebecca writes in Gloucestershire where she lives with her son and their dog Tess. She doesn’t botox, but is a member of Whatley Manor spa. She also composts – when she remembers.
