Anna Raeburn
Anna Raeburn (born 3 April 1944) is a British broadcaster and journalist who is famous for her role as an 'agony aunt' giving advice on life relationship and more general life problems. She is principally known for her work on Capital Radio in London.
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[edit] Early life
She went to the all-girls Kirby Grammar School in Linthorpe, Middlesbrough. She moved to London when aged 17.
[edit] Magazines
She worked for Cosmopolitan.
[edit] Radio
Anna has a unique style of broadcasting, frequently using voice modulation to enhance the listening experience. Anna is quoted on LBC 97.3 as saying "it's radio; let the words create the picture".
Anna built her reputation in the 1970s and 1980s on a popular late night problem phone-in show on Capital Radio, called Anna And The Doc. Journalist Vincent Graff said of the show: “If you were a baffled teenager trying to find your way in the world, Anna and the Doc gave you the roadmap.”[1]
In the early 1990s, Raeburn had presented an afternoon show on LBC Crown FM. In 2006, she returned to the station's current incarnation - LBC 97.3 - in the same slot.
The show primarily featured listeners ringing in with everyday problems to which Anna, often with the assistance of a professional guest, applied her life philosophy in an effort to guide them to a solution.
Her show was ordinarily in two parts; often the first would be guest interviews on psychosocial issues and/or associated book reviewing, followed by a phone-in to advise and guide listeners as a "professional friend". Anna Raeburn often took time after shows to further engage with those who e-mailed or called in, to ensure they had support information and were clear on what options were available to them.
From January 2007, Raeburn's show moved an hour later to 2-4pm - with a new lifestyle, health, and well-being show, presented by Jim Davis preceding her - as part of the new year shake-up.
Raeburn presented her last show on LBC 97.3, on 3 August 2007. She had been expected to return in September, but the station has announced that her afternoon slot will be rested; Raeburn is not expected to return to the station in the near future. Her slot was reallocated, to Jeni Barnett [2] who was later replaced herself.[3]
Raeburn can be heard contributing on various Radio 4 features and voice driven advertising features most recently (Jan 2008), for ocado which is currently on the advert play list on LBC.
[edit] Awards
Anna Raeburn won a gold Sony award in 1998, and a bronze Sony award in 2007 for speech broadcaster of the year. She was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in December 2006. Raeburn has now collected all three Sony awards in her radio career to date: Gold, Silver, and Bronze; which is a first for a female radio presenter.
[edit] Television
She co-wrote the television series Agony, starring Maureen Lipman, and in the 1980s was satirised by Radio Active as "Anna Rabies".
Anna Raeburn has also been a critic on ITV1 daytime show, Mum's on Strike since 2005. She is also a regular on Countdown, where she is one of the members of "Dictionary Corner." She has made 12 appearances to date.
[edit] Personal life
She was formerly married to Michael Raeburn in 1978 and then to Nigel Lilley in 1981 with whom she has a son, Taylor.
