India Willoughby
{{Short description|Transgender English newsreader, broadcaster and journalist}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = India Willoughby
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|09|02|df=y}}
| birth_place = London, England
| occupation = Television newsreader, broadcaster and reality television personality
| years_active = 1986–present
| television = {{Plainlist|
- ITV Border (1999–2010)
- ITV Tyne Tees and Border (2016)
- ITV Loose Women (2016)
- Channel 5, 5News (2017)
- Channel 5, Big Brother's Bit on the Side (2017)
- Channel 5, Celebrity Big Brother (2018)
- ITV, Good Morning Britain (2018–present)
}}
| children = 1
| awards = Diversity in Media Award
}}
India Scarlett Willoughby (born 2 September 1965){{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CTUN03gIkiI/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CTUN03gIkiI |archive-date=26 December 2021 |url-access=registration|title=It's my birthday. Like the Queen, I've got two. 56 and 6. What a life. Been amazing!|date=2 September 2021|publisher=Instagram|accessdate=3 September 2021|last=Willoughby|first=India}}{{cbignore}} is an English newsreader, broadcaster, journalist and reality television personality. She is Britain's first transgender national television newsreader and was the first transgender co-host of all-women talk show, Loose Women.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-05 |title=JK Rowling: Trans newsreader India Willoughby calls comments by Harry Potter author 'grotesque transphobia' |url=https://news.sky.com/story/jk-rowling-trans-newsreader-india-willoughby-calls-comments-by-harry-potter-author-grotesque-transphobia-13087709 |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=Sky News |language=en}}
Early life
Willoughby was born in London,{{Cite tweet |user=IndiaWilloughby |number=1709847701238489460 |title=Love London! My city! Proud to be born here}}https://twitter.com//status/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230508114058/https://twitter.com/status |date=8 May 2023 }} but grew up in Carlisle, Cumbria.{{Cite web |last=Dickinson |first=Katie |date=2016-10-04 |title=First transgender TV reporter in the North East tells her lifechanging story |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/first-transgender-tv-reporter-north-11977992 |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=Chronicle Live |language=en}} She has one son.
Career
Willoughby presented the news in the North East and Cumbria as a TV reporter at ITV Border prior to her transition.{{Cite news |last=Butterworth |first=Benjamin |date=3 January 2018 |title=India Willoughby's emotional transgender coming out story |url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/01/03/who-is-india-willoughby-transgender-loose-women-celebrity-big-brother-2018/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190905183406/https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/01/03/who-is-india-willoughby-transgender-loose-women-celebrity-big-brother-2018/ |archive-date=5 September 2019 |access-date=5 September 2019 |work=PinkNews}} Willoughby left ITV Border in 2010. In 2016, after transitioning, she started working as a freelance reporter for ITV Tyne Tees.{{Cite web |last=Dickinson |first=Katie |date=2016-10-04 |title=First transgender TV reporter in the North East tells her lifechanging story |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/first-transgender-tv-reporter-north-11977992 |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=Chronicle Live |language=en}}
In 2017, Willoughby joined 5 News on Channel 5 to read the lunchtime and evening updates, becoming Britain's first transgender national television newsreader. The same year Willoughby was invited onto ITV's Loose Women as a guest. She was later invited back to co-host.{{Cite web |last=Billson |first=Chantelle |date=2024-03-06 |title=Everything you need to know about trailblazing trans broadcaster India Willoughby |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/03/06/india-willoughby-jk-rowling/ |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=PinkNews |language=en-US}}
In January 2018, Willoughby took part in Channel 5's Celebrity Big Brother – Year of the Woman.{{Cite news|url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/tv/who-india-willoughby-guide-celebrity-14105564|title=Who is India Willoughby? A guide to the Celebrity Big Brother contestant|last=Duke|first=Simon|date=7 August 2018|work=ChronicleLive|access-date=16 September 2019|archive-date=13 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713183952/https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/tv/who-india-willoughby-guide-celebrity-14105564|url-status=live}}
After Celebrity Big Brother, Willoughby became the victim of social media trolling about her looks. She described herself as "The most hated transgender person in Britain." As a result, she had facial feminisation surgery in Marbella in 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/thismorning/india-willoughby-trolls-turned-me-to-surgery|title=India Willoughby: Trolls turned me to surgery|website=www.itv.com|access-date=20 November 2019|archive-date=24 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524060445/https://www.itv.com/thismorning/articles/india-willoughby-trolls-turned-me-to-surgery|url-status=live}}
Willoughby appeared on the opening night of GB News in June 2021. She accused the broadcaster Dan Wootton of demonising transgender people.{{Cite news|last=Wakefield|first=Lily|date=23 June 2021|title=India Willoughby accuses GB News of 'opening the gates of hell' for trans people|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/23/india-willoughby-quits-gb-news-trans-transphobia-dan-wootton/|access-date=23 June 2021|work=PinkNews|language=en-GB|archive-date=23 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210623083726/https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/23/india-willoughby-quits-gb-news-trans-transphobia-dan-wootton/|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|last=Dex|first=Robert|date=23 June 2021|title=India Willoughby accuses GB News of demonising trans people.|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/india-willoughby-gb-news-demonising-trans-people-b942287.html|access-date=23 June 2021|work=London Evening Standard|language=en|archive-date=23 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210623181513/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/india-willoughby-gb-news-demonising-trans-people-b942287.html|url-status=live}}
In 2023, Willoughby was a guest on ITV's Good Morning Britain (GMB) to prove gender choice, and revealed her full passport details to camera.{{Cite web |last=Hurst |first=Ben |date=2023-01-16 |title=GMB viewers slam 'utter stupidity' as guest shows passport to cameras |url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/celebs-tv/good-morning-britain-viewers-slam-8033589 |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=Nottinghamshire Live |language=en |archive-date=8 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240308025743/https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/celebs-tv/good-morning-britain-viewers-slam-8033589 |url-status=live }} She has also appeared on programmes including Channel 5's Most Shocking Celebrity Moments 2018 and When News Goes Horribly Wrong 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/hgpnmr/most-shocking-celebrity-moments--most-shocking-celebrity-moments-2018/|title=Most Shocking Celebrity Moments 2018|work=Radio Times|access-date=16 September 2019}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
= BBC ''Woman's Hour'' =
In 2017, Willoughby was interviewed by Jenni Murray on BBC Woman's Hour. Murray asked Willoughby if she considered herself to be a real woman, to which Willoughby replied "Yes". Murray then asked if it was difficult appearing on an all-women show (Loose Women) to talk about women's issues. Willoughby replied, "No, because I've always been a woman."
Murray then asked Willoughby to comment on a story about London's Dorchester Hotel imposing a new dress code on male and female staff telling them not to display body hair on duty. Willoughby said she supported the rule – because, in a five-star hotel, she felt staff should be groomed and that customers "didn't want to be served soup by someone grubby with hairy legs, because it's not hygienic." Murray later wrote an article in The Times about the interview, stating that transgender women were not real women.{{Cite news |date=5 March 2017 |title=Jenni Murray trans women article criticised |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39173398 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803214517/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39173398 |archive-date=3 August 2019 |access-date=18 September 2019 |work=BBC News}}{{Cite news |last=Ditum |first=Sarah |date=7 March 2017 |title=I'm not surprised that the BBC chastised Jenni Murray over her transgender comments – this is what institutional sexism looks like |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/jenni-murray-sunday-times-transgender-india-willoughby-a7616151.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615023308/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/jenni-murray-sunday-times-transgender-india-willoughby-a7616151.html |archive-date=15 June 2020 |access-date=18 September 2019 |work=The Independent}}
= ''Celebrity Big Brother'' =
Willoughby was a housemate in the 21st UK season of Celebrity Big Brother (CBB) and subtitled Year of the Woman, to mark the 100th anniversary since women got the vote.
Willoughby described drag as being the equivalent of blackface, sparking strong criticism on social media.{{Cite news |last=Beresford |first=Meka |date=9 January 2018 |title=Viewers slam India Willoughby after she compares drag to blackface |url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/01/09/viewers-slam-india-willoughby-after-she-compares-drag-to-blackface/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524060436/https://www.thepinknews.com/2018/01/09/viewers-slam-india-willoughby-after-she-compares-drag-to-blackface/ |archive-date=24 May 2024 |access-date=20 September 2019 |work=PinkNews}} A photo later emerged on social media of Willoughby posing with drag queens at Harrogate Pride – though Willoughby said this was a paid engagement, at which she had been asked to have her photograph taken with "colourful characters."{{Cite web |last=Day |first=Pascale |date=2018-01-08 |title=Drag queen who met CBB'S India Willoughby says 'she was fine with me' |url=https://metro.co.uk/2018/01/08/drag-queen-met-cbbs-india-willoughby-says-fine-viewers-question-stars-phobia-7214497/ |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=Metro |language=en |archive-date=20 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920100126/https://metro.co.uk/2018/01/08/drag-queen-met-cbbs-india-willoughby-says-fine-viewers-question-stars-phobia-7214497/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Hill |first=Rose |date=2018-01-08 |title=CBB fans accuse India of lying about drag queen phobia after finding 'evidence' |url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/celebrity-big-brother-fans-accuse-11820577 |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=The Mirror |language=en |archive-date=8 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240308032620/https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/celebrity-big-brother-fans-accuse-11820577 |url-status=live }}{{Failed verification|date=March 2025}}
Willoughby was the first CBB 2018 contestant to be evicted, on "Day 11" of the series.{{Cite web|url=http://bigbrother247.co.uk/day-11-india-willoughby-is-first-to-be-evicted-from-celebrity-big-brother-2018/|title=Day 11: India Willoughby is first to be evicted from Celebrity Big Brother 2018|website=Big Brother 2019|access-date=20 September 2019|archive-date=20 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920100600/http://bigbrother247.co.uk/day-11-india-willoughby-is-first-to-be-evicted-from-celebrity-big-brother-2018/|url-status=live}}
Online abuse and threats
In a December 2022 interview with MyLondon, Willoughby said that she felt suicidal over the hate she received on social media, which she felt worsened after Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter. She called it a "double-edged sword"; while she enjoyed interacting with her online community, she said there was "no protection" from threats. Willoughby took a break from the website as advised by the police.{{Cite news |last=Spivey |first=Matt |date=30 November 2023 |title=ITV Loose Women star 'thought about ending her life' after vile death threats on Twitter |url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/celebs/itv-loose-women-star-thought-25640173 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230221213230/https://www.mylondon.news/news/celebs/itv-loose-women-star-thought-25640173 |archive-date=21 February 2023 |accessdate=21 February 2023 |work=MyLondon}}
On 20 February 2023, Willoughby reported that she had received a "graphic" death threat in a "hand-delivered" letter from the proscribed neo-Nazi terrorist group National Action, the same day anti-racist commentator Shola Mos-Shogbamimu reported receiving a similarly threatening letter from the same group. The following day, it was announced the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command had launched an investigation into the threats.{{Cite news |last1=Rufo |first1=Yasmin |last2=Sandford |first2=Daniel |date=21 February 2023 |title=Neo-Nazi threats probed by anti-terrorism police |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-64720973 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230221140903/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-64720973 |archive-date=21 February 2023 |accessdate=21 February 2023 |work=BBC News}} Since then, Willoughby has had to live under the Command's protection.{{Cite news |last=McKee |first=Jake |date=May 5, 2023 |title=Trans broadcaster India Willoughby under 'Counter Terrorism Unit protection' after death threat |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/05/05/india-willoughby-trans-death-threat-counter-terrorism/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505234820/https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/05/05/india-willoughby-trans-death-threat-counter-terrorism/ |archive-date=5 May 2023 |access-date=5 May 2023 |work=PinkNews}}
In March 2024, Willoughby became embroiled in a row with author J. K. Rowling on Twitter after Rowling deliberately misgendered Willoughby, referring to her as "cosplaying a misogynistic male fantasy of what a woman is".{{cite web|last=Murray|first=Tom|title=JK Rowling deliberately misgenders trans activist India Willoughby|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/jk-rowling-india-willoughby-twitter-gender-b2507309.html|work=The Independent|date=March 5, 2024|access-date=March 7, 2024|archive-date=7 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240307192219/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/jk-rowling-india-willoughby-twitter-gender-b2507309.html|url-status=live}} Willoughby reported Rowling to the police,{{cite web|last=Kanter|first=Jake|title=J.K. Rowling Reported To Police By Former 'Big Brother' Contestant Over "Transphobia"; Rowling Says She Has Harassment Claim Against Presenter|url=https://deadline.com/2024/03/jk-rowling-reported-to-police-india-willoughby-1235848690/|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=March 7, 2024|access-date=March 7, 2024|archive-date=7 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240307132035/https://deadline.com/2024/03/jk-rowling-reported-to-police-india-willoughby-1235848690/|url-status=live}} but Northumbria Police stated that Willoughby's report did not "meet the criminal threshold".{{Cite news |last=Kevin |first=Perry |date=8 March 2024 |title=India Willoughby's JK Rowling complaint did not meet criminal threshold, police say |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/jk-rowling-india-willoughby-police-trans-b2509754.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240403235128/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/jk-rowling-india-willoughby-police-trans-b2509754.html |archive-date=3 April 2024 |access-date=30 March 2024 |work=The Independent}}
Awards
Willoughby was the 2017 winner of the Diversity in Media Award for Media Moment of the Year (Loose Women).{{Cite web|url=http://www.diversityinmediaawards.com/2017-winners.html|title=2017 Winners|website=DIMAs Diversity in Media Awards|access-date=5 September 2019|archive-date=5 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190905183005/http://www.diversityinmediaawards.com/2017-winners.html|url-status=dead}} She is a previous nominee for a British LGBT Award (2017).{{Cite web |last=Fenton |first=Siobhan |date=20 February 2017 |title=This is the shortlist for the British LGBT Awards |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-lgbt-awards-latest-shortlist-rights-activists-allies-stars-laverne-cox-kate-mckinnon-elton-a7589266.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222053708/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-lgbt-awards-latest-shortlist-rights-activists-allies-stars-laverne-cox-kate-mckinnon-elton-a7589266.html |archive-date=22 February 2017 |access-date=2019-09-05 |website=The Independent}}
References
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Category:English transgender women
Category:LGBTQ media personalities
Category:LGBTQ people from London
Category:Journalists from London
Category:People from Carlisle, Cumbria