Gloria Hunniford given Freedom of the City honour

Broadcaster Gloria Hunniford has said she is "delighted and humbled" to receive the Freedom of the City of London.

The 86-year-old's long and varied career has seen her host chat shows and current affairs, lifestyle and consumer rights programmes.

She was awarded the Freedom of the City of London at the city's Guildhall earlier in recognition of her "outstanding contribution to entertainment and campaigning work as a breast cancer charity ambassador".

As well as her TV work, she is known for setting up the Caron Keating Foundation in memory of her daughter, who died from breast cancer in 2004.

Born in Portadown, Northern Ireland, in 1982 Hunniford became the first woman to have her own daily radio show on BBC Radio 2.

She presented it continuously for 13 years, before going on to become one of the first female broadcasters to host her own TV chat show.

Her many TV credits include Pebble Mill At One, Good Evening Ulster, The Travelling Picture Show, Rip-Off Britain, Loose Women, Strictly Come Dancing, This Morning, The One Show, Piers Morgan's Life Stories, This Is Your Life, and The Masked Singer.

She was awarded an OBE for services to cancer charities through breast screening services and cancer support in 2017.

After the ceremony earlier, Hunniford said it had been an "extremely special" day.

"Some of my most treasured moments in broadcasting have taken place in this city, so I am delighted and humbled to have received the Freedom of the City of London," she said.

City of London Corporation policy chairman, Chris Hayward, said: "A consummate professional on our screens and airwaves, millions of us have been entertained, informed, and moved by Gloria Hunniford over the years.

"It has been a pleasure for my colleagues to welcome Gloria to Guildhall for her admission into the Freedom today."

One of the City of London's ancient traditions, the Freedom is believed to have begun in 1237 and enabled recipients to carry out their trade.

It is now offered to individuals as a way of paying tribute to their outstanding contribution to London or public life.

Recent recipients include actor Ray Winstone and former heavyweight world boxing champion Frank Bruno.

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