Jonny Dymond

British journalist

Jonny Dymond
Born
Jonathan David Dymond

(1970-02-15) 15 February 1970 (age 54)
Merton, London, England
EducationSt Paul's School, London
Alma materDurham University
London School of Economics
Occupation(s)Journalist, correspondent, radio presenter
EmployerBBC News
Known forBBC Royal Correspondent (2017—present)
Presenter, The World at One and Broadcasting House (BBC Radio 4)
BBC Washington Correspondent (2010—2017)
BBC Europe Correspondent (2005—2010)
BBC Middle East Correspondent (2001—2005)
BBC Washington reporter (2000—2001)

Jonathan David "Jonny" Dymond[1] (born 15 February 1970 in Merton, London[2]) is a British journalist.[3] He is currently a Royal Correspondent for BBC News, having previously been the BBC's Washington Correspondent, Europe Correspondent (based in Brussels), and Middle East Correspondent (based in Istanbul).[4]

Dymond is also a presenter for BBC Radio 4 news programmes including The World at One and Broadcasting House, and the BBC World Service's The World This Week and World Questions.[5]

Education

From 1983—1987, Dymond was educated at St Paul's School,[6] an independent school for boys, in the London district of Barnes. From 1988—1991, he studied Politics at Durham University, and in 1993 completed an MSc in Public Administration and Public Policy at the London School of Economics.[3]

Career

Dymond joined the BBC in 1994 as a researcher and later became a producer on Newsnight.[3] Following this he worked as a reporter, first covering British politics for the BBC World Service and BBC World Service Television, then in 2000 moving to Washington, D.C.[3] He covered 9/11 from DC, then went to Istanbul to cover Turkey and the Middle East between 2001 and 2005.[7]

After some years as a foreign correspondent in Brussels, Dymond became a royal correspondent in 2017. Interviewed for the November 2019 edition of Town and Country, Dymond was critical of Prince Andrew for agreeing to be interviewed by Emily Maitlis about the controversy over his friendship with the American billionaire and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, suggesting it was a 'fantasy' that Prince Andrew could have reversed public opinion in one 40 minute interview.[8] He told the same magazine that Prince Harry was rude to members of the press during a royal tour of Australia, New Zealand, and some Pacific Islands in 2018, but declined to go into details about what Prince Harry had said to them.[8]

On July 29, 2023, September 30, 2023 and April 10, 2024 Dymond co-hosted the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. From 2023 onwards, he has often solo hosted The World At One and The World This Weekend on BBC Radio 4.

Personal

In 2008 Dymond was fined £230 for possession of cannabis, after a search at an airport in Vilnius found two grams of the drug among his clothes. Dymond admitted to purchasing cannabis at a nightclub, but claimed he packed it into his suitcase inadvertently.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ "B.A.". University of Durham Congregation (26 June 10:50am). Durham: Durham University: 8. 1991.
  2. ^ 'Births, Marriages & Deaths, Index of England & Wales confirms name and birthdate and lists birthplace as Merton, London. Publisher: General Registry Office. Retrieved: 5 February 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d "Jonny Dymond". newswatch. 7 July 2004. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Jonny Dymond". BBC. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Jonny Dymond". BBC. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  6. ^ Jeremy Withers Green, ed. (24 November 2021). "LAST WORD Jonny Dymond (1983-87) 'Are You Sure?' (page 60)". ATRIUM - The St Paul's School Alumni Magazine. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  7. ^ "Jonny Dymond". John Schofield Trust. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  8. ^ a b Usborne, Simon (23 November 2019). "The Royal Family Has Lost Control of the Message". Town & Country. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  9. ^ Bunyan, Nigel (6 March 2008). "BBC's Jonny Dymond caught with cannabis". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 February 2020.