Janet Street Porter

Janet Street-Porter

Profession: Journalist and Editor
Place/Date of Birth: London, 27 December 2020

Janet apologises for outburst - Jan 19 2007
Broadcaster Janet Street-Porter today apologised "unreservedly" for swearing at her neighbour.

The former I’m A Celebrity star and newspaper editor said she’d been distressed after returning from her sister’s funeral.

But Janet, who was arrested over the incident, maintained she didn’t make a racist remark to Julie Mbemba.

"In the interests of good neighbourliness I want to apologise unreservedly to Ms Julie Mbemba for swearing at her and causing her distress on November 29 when I returned home from attending my sister’s funeral," she said.

"I was unloading my car with the car boot and my front door open, in tears, totally distraught as I had just buried my darling sister after a terrible illness which had been widely reported in the press and which has had a devastating effect on me.

"That does not excuse losing my temper and swearing at Mrs Mbemba.

"I totally refute however any allegation that I made a racist remark to her on that or on any other occasion.

"As I have already said, my track record is such that it is obvious I abhor racism in any form."

It was reported that the 59-year-old journalist allegedly called Mrs Mbemba a name in a row over parking in November.

On Tuesday, she was bailed to a date in February pending inquiries after being arrested.

Janet denies racial abuse - Jan 17 2007
Broadcaster Janet Street-Porter today "completely denied" claims that she racially abused a neighbour.

The former I’m A Celebrity star and newspaper editor, who was arrested and questioned yesterday, said she was known for her strong anti-racist stance and she expected to be fully vindicated.

Janet, who was bailed pending inquiries, was head of youth and entertainment features at the BBC in the 1980s before becoming editor of the Independent on Sunday.

"Anyone who is aware of my track record in journalism and the media knows my strong anti-racist views," she said in a statement issued by her lawyers.

Her law firm Harbottle & Lewis said: "Janet Street-Porter was interviewed by police yesterday in respect of an allegation made against her under the Public Order Act.

"She has completely denied the allegation and expects to be fully vindicated in due course."

They added: "It will be appreciated that Janet cannot say any more at this stage."

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Biography

Born on the 27th December 1946, media girl Janet was educated at the Lady Margaret Girl’s School and also the Architectural Association. Her first job was as a writer for Petticoat Magazine and from there she moved on to The Daily Mail, then a short hop over to the London Evening Standard.

In the 1970’s she did some broadcasting on LBC Radio and from there progressed to presenting, devising and producing shows for London Weekend Television (including the Six O’clock Show). Janet was BBC Head of Youth and Entertainment Features from 1988-1994, was the MD of cable channel Live TV for a year and co-founded Screaming Productions in 1996. She currently works as editor of the Independent on Sunday.A little known fact is that comedienne Caroline Aherne used to be Janet’s secretary!

An award winning broadcaster, she was winner of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award for originality in 1988, and the Prix Italia for her production of opera The Vampyr in 1993. She has also been nominated for the Carlton TV Mae West Award for the most outspoken woman in the industry - go Janet!

She has been caricatured many times for her infamously large teeth and her strong accent - but this worked well in her favour when her pronunciation of the word ’youth’ while at the BBC lead to the national phrase ’yoof TV’.

She has been married three times; Street Porter is the surname of her first husband - Tim. She is also a keen walker and is the vice-president of the Rambler’s Association. Although she has homes elsewhere - she rents a two bedroom pad near Barbican.
March 2007

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