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Name: Martin Bell
Field:
Broadcaster
Productions:
An Audience With Martin Bell
Biography: Both of Martin Bell's careers, as foreign affairs correspondent and then as politician, have been remarkably colourful.
As one of the most distinguished foreign affairs reporters of his generation, Martin Bell was among those who defined the term "war correspondent". He later stole the show in the 2001 election campaign with his anti-sleaze battle against MP Neil Hamilton.
Martin joined the BBC in 1965, over the next 30 years, he reported from 80 countries and covered 11 conflicts. He made his name in Vietnam in the 1960s, and also covered wars in the Middle East, Nigeria, Angola and Rwanda, as well as numerous assignments in Northern Ireland.
His uncompromising style of journalism won him the Royal Television Society's Reporter of the Year award in 1977, and again in 1993. He was awarded an OBE in 1992.
His legendary fight for the safe Conservative seat at Tatton, on an independent, anti-corruption ticket, made him a symbol of the revolt against perceived sleaze in the governing Conservative Party. He won the seat with an 11,000 majority.
He now acts as an ambassador for UNICEF, and as an outspoken critic of the state of journalism today.
He has written three books; In Harm’s Way (1995), An Accidental MP (2000) and Through Gates of Fire (2003). His fourth, The Truth That Sticks – New Labour’s Breach of Trust, will be published by Icon Books in September 2007.
Martin Bell is also available for after dinner and corporate events.
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