Vanessa graduated from Oxford University in 1990 with a first class honours degree in Geography and started working immediately in television, quickly moving into the field of science, environment and history which remain her passion both on and off screen.

Along with science and current affairs programmes (including Tonight with Trevor McDonald, 4x4 Reports and Real Story) for BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Discovery, she has hosted numerous series and one-off programmes for BBC Radios 4 & 5. In April 2007 Vanessa took over as the new presenter of Radio 4’s Making History. She co-presented the landmark series, British Isles – A Natural History and presented The People’s Museum (both for BBC 1). Her book on Captain Cook has been made into the 4 x 1 hour prize-winning documentary series Captain Cook: Obsession and Discovery, which Vanessa presented, broadcast on ABC Australia, NZ Prime in New Zealand and The History Channel, Canada (Oct/Nov 2007 & Feb/March 2008) to great critical acclaim and strong audiences. Vanessa herself has received universal praise for the series and been described by one impressed tv critic ‘as doing for maps and voyages of discovery what Nigella Lawson has done for mushy peas’.

For five years, she wrote a monthly science and technology column for the Daily Telegraph and is a regular contributor to national newspapers, particularly the Mail on Sunday, Scotsman and Sunday Herald. She is also a reviewer forThe Literary Review and has a monthly column in the BBC’s History Magazine. In March 2002, her first book - a biography of the scientific navigator and explorer, Captain James Cook - was published by Ebury Press/Random House and received excellent reviews. Her second acclaimed biography, Boudica – the true Warrior Queen, was published in June 2005. Her third book will be due out later this year.

Outside of her broadcast and journalistic work, Vanessa is currently researching her PhD in historical cartography, based at Glasgow and Cambridge Universities. She has lectured on science, history and geography-related topics across the UK, including Cambridge University, Strathclyde University, the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. She is a Fellow of the RGS, a founder-member of the WISE (Women into Science and Engineering) group in Scotland, and a founder/co-organiser of the Glasgow Café Scientifique to stimulate debate between the scientific community and the general public.

She is director of her own production company, Monster Media Productions, which makes radio and television programmes for broadcast and corporate clients; the company also provides a range of training for media and presentation skills. She lives in Scotland with her young family.

For further information please contact Vicki McIvor on 020 7209 3777