Daughter Clare Barnes (with former government minister Denis MacShane) died in a tragic parachute accident in Australia. (March 2004)
She was one of the original journalists for LBC (London Broadcasting Company), an independent local radio station founded in 1973. Before this, she worked as a teacher.
After joining ITN in 1975, she covered the Brixton riots in 1981 while she was seven months pregnant.
She became disillusioned with teaching, and went on to a variety of jobs, including public relations at the Royal Court Theatre and assistant editor at "Time Out" magazine.
Grew up in south London.
She left school at 16 to train as a fashion buyer for Harrods, with a wage of 4 pounds a week. She later attended a polytechnic school, and subsequently studied languages at Sheffield University, where she took a certificate in education.