BBC Question Time host Fiona Bruce has admitted she may not have spent as much time with her children as she would have liked, owing to her demanding career. The Antiques Roadshow presenter previously opened up about balancing motherhood with her professional life during an interview with Good Housekeeping.
Career and family balance
Fiona remarked: "Did I spend enough time with my children? I think I scratch the surface of any working woman and she always thinks, probably not." The broadcaster, a familiar face on BBC programming for nearly 30 years, returned to work on Crimewatch just 16 days after giving birth to her daughter Mia Rose, now in her 20s.
Fiona married Nigel Sharrocks in 1994, and the couple have two children together. She credited a long-serving nanny for helping her manage her responsibilities.
The nanny's role
She said: "There has never been any question that they take precedence over everything in my life, and always have done. It was definitely helped by having the same nanny living with us for 20 years. She left when Mia finished her GCSEs, but she's a firm family friend."
Working through the pandemic
Fiona remained on air throughout the pandemic, keeping the nation informed during 2020. The NHS app and self-isolation requirements posed challenges during this period, though she took comfort in continuing her professional duties.
She said: "It was really good to keep going as it gave me a focus and it felt important to keep people informed."
Views on ambition
Fiona is widely regarded as ambitious for balancing motherhood with her career, yet she has never been comfortable when asked whether she considers herself driven. During the candid interview, she remarked: "I was thoroughly sick of it because I never heard a man being asked that. It's the same as only women being described as feisty. You want to do as well as you can in your job - that's human nature."
