Beti George

Beti George
Born (1939-01-19) 19 January 1939 (age 85)
Coed-y-bryn, Ceredigion, Wales
Alma materCardiff University
Aberystwyth University
Occupation(s)Radio and television broadcaster
PartnerDavid Parry-Jones
ChildrenIestyn George

Beti George (born 19 January 1939) is a Welsh broadcaster of television and radio. She began working for the BBC in Swansea and was best known for presenting the nightly Welsh-language news programme, Newyddion. Since 1987 she has presented a radio programme called Beti a'i Phobol on BBC Radio Cymru.

Biography

Early life

George was born n Coed-y-bryn near Llangrannog. She studied at Cardiff University and Aberystwyth University. George taught at a grammar school in Brecon for 18 months.[1]

Career

George started her career as a freelance with the BBC as a reporter for the programme "Bore Da" (Good Morning) alongside T. Glynne Davies who inspired her. She also introduced a number of music programmes as well as presenting the Welsh-language news broadcast Newyddion on S4C.[1] She was one of the presenters of a series called DNA Wales; it broadcast a special programme on St. David's Day in 2015 and showed a series of four programmes between November and December 2015.[2][3] George has presented a programme on BBC Radio Cymru called Beti a'i Phobol since 1985, where she talks to different guests each week.[4]

Personal life

Her partner was the writer and broadcaster David Parry-Jones and they lived in Cardiff. Their relationship of 42 years lasted until Parry-Jones' death from Alzheimer's disease in 2017. George raised awareness of the condition through the Welsh media. She presented Un o Bob Tri for S4C i,[5] and the programmeThe Dreaded Disease – David's Story on BBC Radio Wales .[6]

In 2017 a documentary - David and Beti  : Lost for Words, broadcast on BBC Cymru/Wales and BBC One, won a gold award at the New York Film Festival.

She has a son, Iestyn George, who is a journalist and former music editor for NME and GQ magazines.[7]

Political Views

George rejected an MBE on the grounds that it would be hypocritical and that she is a republican.[8]

She is a supporter of Welsh independence. She said: "We can't afford not to embrace independence and a new system of government – one that puts the emphasis on well-being rather than on dreary monetary and GDP statistics which don't seem to be working anyway. An egalitarian Wales that would be outwardly looking, that would work with other like minded nations to end poverty and tackle climate change, and would joyfully share and exchange language and cultural experiences."[9]

References

  1. ^ a b "Beti George". BBC (in Welsh). Archived from the original on 17 February 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  2. ^ "Datgelu canlyniadau DNA hynafiadol Angharad Mair yn fyw ar Heno". S4C (in Welsh). Archived from the original on 19 November 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  3. ^ "Cymru DNA Wales – Y Prosiect]; Adalwyd". S4C (in Welsh). Archived from the original on 7 July 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  4. ^ Sarah Hill (11 December 2013). "Desert Island Discs, Beti a'i Phobol, and Britishness". BBC. Archived from the original on 13 December 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  5. ^ S4C (11 December 2013). "Un o Bob Tri – Beti George". S4C (in Welsh). Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ BBC (11 December 2013). "The Dreaded Disease – David's Story". BBC. Archived from the original on 1 September 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  7. ^ "Many things define former GQ music editor Iestyn George, as Sarah Welsh discovered". South Wales Echo. 7 September 2002. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  8. ^ "Beti George wedi gwrthod anrhydedd gan y Frenhines". Golwg360 (in Welsh). 21 January 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Beti George". yes is more. Retrieved 22 April 2021.