32387
Emma Vardy is an award-winning BBC Correspondent and Presenter, with extensive experience covering UK and US politics, business, sport, technology, and entertainment.
After spending a few years in America as the BBC’s LA Correspondent, Emma recently moved back to the UK, and is based in London and Manchester, working for the BBC.
She holds two Royal Television Society Awards and was once named the Political Studies Association’s Journalist of the Year.
Emma is a great host, event MC, moderator, and keynote speaker.
Emma Vardy is an engaging and versatile broadcaster for the BBC, appearing on their News at Six, and News at 10 shows, BBC Breakfast, and Newsnight, as well as on Radio 4 and Radio 5.
Her broadcasting career started at Sky News and Sky Sports, reporting at events like the London 2012 Olympics, and the Vancouver and Sochi Winter Olympics. This passion for sports is not confined to her professional life; she is an active participant in football, rugby, and surfing.
Early in her career, she worked as the Ireland Correspondent and was recognised for her reporting on the political complexities of Northern Ireland, and for her “brave and fearless reporting” on paramilitary violence.
She was the BBC’s LA Correspondent between 2023 and 2025, covering the US presidential election, the Trump presidency, the tech world’s rapid changes, LA wildfires, and major Hollywood awards such as the Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys. In her two years, she reported on significant moments, including the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the world’s biggest tech outage, Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race, and the wave of college campus riots.
She has reported in the studio and live on location around the UK, the USA, and Ukraine.
Outside of work, she is a passionate sportswoman, playing football and rugby, and she even surfs around the world. Since becoming a mother, she has explored changing attitudes to sport and fitness through pregnancy.

Whilst working in LA, she covered award ceremonies such as the Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys. This experience means she brings charisma, energy, and glamour when hosting award ceremonies and other events.
Her warm and engaging style brings a fresh perspective to a range of subjects, including:
– UK Politics
– US Politics
– Business
– Finance
– Northern Ireland
– Current Affairs
– Crime/Policing
– Sport
She has had experience hosting prestigious events and chairing panels for organisations such as Queen’s University, the Political Studies Association, and the Royal College of Midwives, as well as events such as the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement with Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern. She has also been involved with Libraries NI and the Belfast Book Festival.

Emma was a superb host of our Good Friday Agreement Anniversary event that we held with the former British and Irish Prime Ministers, Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern, and a group of 200 young people from across Northern Ireland. Emma conducted this historic session perfectly, keeping it engaging by asking perceptive questions from our two speakers, whilst at the same time enabling the young participants the space and confidence to give their own insights, and importantly also the opportunity to converse with two global statesmen. It was a momentous event that was guided with truly exceptional professionalism by Emma.
Marc McGonagle, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Rt Hon Tony Blair
Emma Vardy was a consummate professional chairing with grace and skilfully working through the agenda, ensuring that speakers were at their ease. She managed the political panel with expert journalistic insight. Emma made a vital contribution, and her input greatly enhanced the quality of the event.
Karen Murray, Director, Royal College of Midwives, Northern Ireland
Emma Vardy chaired two Annual Lectures for the Political Studies Association. These were major events for us, with leading academics addressing global issues for a diverse public audience. Emma engaged excellently with our expert speakers and then did a particularly fine job in chairing the Q&A sessions, ensuring that a range of different questions were considered, while also keeping the event firmly on-topic. Emma brought to our events the presentational skills of a highly-experienced journalist, as well as a lightness of touch and just the right amount of humour. She very much enhanced the overall quality of our Annual Lectures.
Professor Roger Awan-Scully, Chair of the Political Studies Association 2020-23
Emma has facilitated both online and in-person events, and we have been impressed by Emma’s professionalism and ability to conduct interesting and informative interviews with a range of authors. Emma is reliable and personable with an engaging personality, and we would not hesitate to engage her again.
Jillian McFrederick, LibrariesNI