Fiona Bruce’s reality TV hell & why she took on Jeremy Clarkson over bum remark
As the host of Question Time and regular face of both the News at Six and the News at 10, Fiona Bruce is one of the nation's most respected news readers.
For more than 20 years she has also hosted Antiques Roadshow – and now she will take on a special Question Time Leaders' special tonight.
She will be responsible for marshalling Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn, Jo Swinson and Nicola Sturgeon at 7pm on BBC One.
Each leader will take on questions from the live studio audience over the two hour debate and each will be allocated 30 minutes.
It's just three days since Tory leader Boris and Labour leader Jeremy went head-to-head on ITV and emotions are certain to be running high.
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After taking over from David Dimbleby as the presenter of Question Time in January this year, Fiona Bruce's cool head will be vital in keeping the leaders in check.
And while she is one of the most famous women in the country, Bruce has refused to take part in reality TV following a disatrous experience in 2006.
She appeared on the BBC's Just The Two Of Us – and has sworn off reality TV for life.
Fiona was partnered with Alexander O'Neal on the show, which was hosted by husband and wife team Tess Daly and Vernon Kay.
Following her appearance she vowed "never again" and has turned down every other offer to take part in further reality TV.
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It didn't stop her from appearing on Top Gear twice – and taking on Jeremy Clarkson when he made a comment about her "nice bum".
Fiona was a fierce campaigner for women's rights when she was a student at Oxford University.
She ran women's groups and ever camped at Greenham Common, a peace camp to protest against nuclear weapons.
But when she appeared on Top Gear in 2007, Fiojna shared a lift with Clarkson and had to push him out when he got stuck on a Peel P50.
As she was walking away, Clarkson said – without her being aware – "she has got quite a nice bottom, I said that out loud, didn't I?"
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Returning to the series the following year, along with Kate Silverton in the segment Star in a Reasonably Sized Car, she got her own back at the presenter, who was later sacked from the show.
She slapped Clarkson's bottom and added that it "needs a bit of work".
And that wasn't all – Fions stands in for Clarkson in his Sunday Times car review colum and has described it as the ultimate revenge for what he said about her.
She said: "Perching my bottom, nice or otherwise, on his patch."
In 2010 she was awarded the Rear Of The Year, which she described as "demeaning".
However, she insists her feminist credentials are still as key now, albeit changed.
Fiona told The Guardian: "There are certainly things I would have done differently then to how how I do them now.
That's why I talk about feminism being a spectrum."
Fiona is married to Nigel Sharrocks and the couple have a son, Sam, and daughter, Mia Rose.
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