Keir Simmons | |
|---|---|
 Simmons reporting from theParsons Green bombing, 2017 | |
| Born | Keir Hardie Brennan-Simmons 1972 (age 52–53) |
| Alma mater | Goldsmiths, University of London |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Mika Simmons (sister) |
Keir Hardie Brennan-Simmons (born 1972)[1] is an English journalist. He has been the chief international correspondent for the NBC morning showToday since December 2018. He also appears regularly on the evening broadcastNBC Nightly News, and fills in as an anchor onMSNBC.
From August 2012 until December 2018, Simmons was a foreign correspondent forNBC News. Previously, he was the UK editor forITN'sITV News.
Simmons was born in London and raised inBristol. He was educated atWellsway School, astatecomprehensive school in the town ofKeynsham inSomerset andSt Brendans College, astate Catholic school, followed byGoldsmiths College, aconstituent college of theUniversity of London, where he earned a bachelor's degree.[2] His sister is actress and health campaignerMika Simmons.[3]
Simmons's first job in journalism was as a court reporter covering murders and scandals in London at theOld Bailey. He then moved into radio, joiningITN as a reporter for UK's Independent Radio News (IRN) in 1996, before becoming a general reporter on itsITV News service in 1998.
While atITV, Simmons reported on major domestic and international stories including the2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the2008 Mumbai attacks, thepoisoning of Alexander Litvinenko and theVirginia Tech shooting. He was one of the first journalists to cover the 2007disappearance of Madeleine McCann.[4]
In 2010, Simmons was the first to report that the UK government was paying millions of pounds in compensation to former prisoners of theGuantanamo Bay detention camp.[4] On 30 September 2010,ITV News announced that Simmons would be appointed as the new UK Editor.[5]
In 2011, Simmons led ITV's coverage of theNews International phone hacking scandal, breaking stories which included news of the arrest of key figures and the resignation of theMetropolitan Police Commissioner,Sir Paul Stephenson[4]
While working as a reporter forITV News, Simmons occasionally made on-air appearances onSky News,5 News, andITV London'sLondon Tonight. In September and October 2011, he guest presented onITV Breakfast programDaybreak.
On 27 August 2012 Simmons leftITN to joinNBC News as a London-based foreign correspondent.[4] He reported for all platforms ofNBC News, includingToday,Nightly News,MSNBC, andNBCNews.com.
In December 2018, Simmons was named Senior International Correspondent forThe Today Show onNBC News.[6] He appears regularly onNBC Nightly News and as a fill-in anchor onMSNBC.
Simmons interviewedVladimir Putin in person in Moscow on 11 June 2021.[7] He interviewed the Japanese Prime Minister in person in Tokyo in July 2021.[8] He reported on the death of Queen Elizabeth on 8 September 2022.
On 28 February 2023, NBC published a report by Simmons fromSevastopol,Crimea. Simmons said he travelled to Crimea by train from Moscow on theKerch Bridge. Visiting Crimea from Russia is illegal under Ukrainian law and Ukrainian authorities said they were investigating the circumstances of the illegal visit.[9][10] In response to the visit, Simmons was added to theMyrotvorets list of 'Enemies of Ukraine'.[11]
In 2003, Simmons was nominated for aRoyal Television Society Award.[12] In 2016, he was nominated for anEmmy Award in the category 'Outstanding Coverage of a Breaking News Story in a News Magazine' for his contribution to a Dateline NBC special 'Terror in Paris'.[13] In 2017, he was nominated for anEmmy Award in the category 'Outstanding Coverage of a Breaking News Story in a News Magazine' for his contribution to a TODAY Show special 'Terror in Brussels'.[14]
