Chris Mason | |
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.jpg) Mason in 2023 | |
| Born | Christopher Richard Mason (1980-04-21)21 April 1980 (age 45) |
| Education | Ermysted's Grammar School |
| Alma mater | Christ's College, Cambridge City, University of London |
| Employer | BBC |
| Notable work | Newscast Any Questions? |
| Title | Political Editor ofBBC News (2022–present) |
| Spouse | Polly Mason |
| Children | 2 |
Christopher Richard Mason (born 21 April 1980) is an English journalist who has been thePolitical Editor ofBBC News since 2022, having been the corporation's political correspondent. He filled the vacantPolitical Editor position previously held byLaura Kuenssberg. He is also a presenter of the podcast and television programmeNewscast (formerlyBrexitcast).
Christopher Richard Mason was born on 21 April 1980[1][2] inAiredale Hospital inSteeton,Bradford,West Yorkshire.[3] His parents were primary school teachers.[4] He grew up inGrassington,North Yorkshire,[3] and attendedErmysted's Grammar School inSkipton.[3][5] He listened to radio, in particularBBC Radio Lancashire, from an early age and his childhood ambition was to present his own programme.[6] He was an undergraduate atChrist's College, Cambridge, where he studied Geography, and participated in student newspapers, student radio and student television.[7] Mason started his career as a trainee in broadcast journalism atITN in autumn 2001.[1][3][7] He gained a postgraduate diploma fromCity, University of London,[3][8] where he trained as a journalist.[7]
In 2002, Mason moved toBBC Newcastle, where he befriended future broadcasterRob Young,[7][6] and then to the BBC regional desk atWestminster.[1][3] His first report from Westminster was in 2004.[6] For two years, Mason reported forBBC News as a Europe correspondent,[1][3] followed by a short stint as a political reporter onBBC Radio 5 Live.[3] He then became a political correspondent forBBC News in 2012.[1][3]
The Yorkshire Post has described Mason's broadcasting style as relatively "informal", and said that that has attracted attention in his television appearances as an occasional host ofBBC Breakfast and a political correspondent.[1] In February 2016, Mason broadcast from outside10 Downing Street as he unsuccessfully attempted to engage ministers arriving for the cabinet meeting called to discussDavid Cameron'srenegotiation of the UK's European Union membership.[9] Whilst live onBBC Breakfast in November 2018, he asked "So where are we in all of this Brexit process? To be quite honest, looking at things right now, I haven't got the foggiest idea what is going to happen in the coming weeks. Is the Prime Minister going to get a deal with the EU? Dunno! Is she going to be able to get it through the Commons? Don't know about that, either. I think you might as well getMr Blobby back on to offer his analysis, because, frankly, I suspect his is now as good as mine." Mason was praised for his honesty after his comments were shared on social media[1][10][11][12] and translated into French in newspaperLe Parisien.[9]
In December 2018 he unveiled ablue plaque honouring the Yorkshire-born journalistW. R. Mitchell (1928–2015).[1][13] A study of "the Twitter output of 10 seasoned UK political correspondents" found, that Mason was a "prolific" tweeter,[14] and had 66,000 followers between month 1 September and 3 October 2018.[14] Mason tweeted about a "diverse and humorous range of interests beyond the political scene", including his native Yorkshire andgoldfish named after other journalists.[14]
In June 2017, he began presenting the podcastBrexitcast (now known asNewscast) withAdam Fleming and was later joined byLaura Kuenssberg andKatya Adler. The podcast covered the United Kingdom'swithdrawal from the European Union from Brussels and London.[1][3] From September 2019 to January 2020,Brexitcast was also broadcast onBBC One television.[15] He has presented twoBBC Radio 4 documentaries calledCould the PM Have a Brummie Accent? andThe Country vs the City, in July 2018 and March 2019.[5][16]
On 9 October 2019, Mason was appointed chair of the BBC Radio 4 debate programmeAny Questions?[17][18] He said it was "daunting" to take over fromJonathan Dimbleby, who had been chair for 32 years. Mason suggested his Yorkshire accent helped him get the job and pointed at a lack of a broad range of regional accents more generally in British broadcasting.[19] His first show was broadcast from theUniversity of Reading on 18 October with guestsSiân Berry, Madeline Grant,David Lammy andBrandon Lewis.[20] Despite reports that Mason might join the new digital stationTimes Radio before its 2020 launch, he remained at the BBC.[21]
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FollowingLaura Kuenssberg's announcement of her departure as political editor of BBC News, Mason publicly said he did not want the job, withThe Sunday Times reporting he wanted to concentrate on hisAny Questions? role and on writing a book.[22] According to the same newspaper, he was later persuaded to apply for the job by BBC bosses after he was courted by rival broadcasters.[23] On 13 April 2022, it was announced that Mason would become the new political editor of BBC News and would begin in the role in May, replacing Kuenssberg.[24]
Mason is married to Polly Mason, aprimary school teacher.[4][25] The couple have two children[26] and live inCharlton, south-east London.[27][28] Mason tookparental leave between July and September 2019, following the birth of his second child.[29][30]
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| Preceded by | Political Editor:BBC News 2022–present | Incumbent |