Television Career
Williams' first job in television news was when she joined digital rolling news channel BBC News 24, which was soon to launch, as an output editor. During screen tests for potential presenters, one applicant became unwell and Williams was asked if she would be willing to audition for the role. When she did, producers were so impressed that they offered her the position alongside Gavin Esler presenting from 4pm to 7pm, one of the prime slots on the channel.
She remained with the channel for nearly two years before joining the Six O'Clock News in 1999 as their Special Correspondent. During this time she also began filling in for the programme's presenters, Huw Edwards and Fiona Bruce, and during 2001 to 2002 she presented the Six O'Clock News on Fridays while Fiona Bruce was on maternity leave, as well as regularly presenting the national news bulletins on BBC One at weekends.
She joined the BBC's Breakfast programme in January 2001 as a relief presenter, initially presenting on Friday-Sunday alongside Darren Jordon, to cover for main presenter, Sarah Montague, and then later with Jeremy Bowen, to cover for Sophie Raworth. She also regularly deputised on the Six O'Clock News and the One O'Clock News during this period. In 2004, Williams covered for Raworth on the Six O'Clock News during her maternity leave, co-presenting with George Alagiah, and the following year, reported from Sri Lanka and Thailand on the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and from Pakistan on the Kashmir earthquake.
In May 2005 she was confirmed as the main female presenter of BBC Breakfast, presenting initially alongside Dermot Murnaghan and since January 2008 with Bill Turnbull on Mondays to Thursdays. Williams left Breakfast on 15 March 2012 due to the programme's relocation to Salford. She joins BBC Radio 4 to co-present Saturday Live. In addition to this Williams will be a relief presenter for all the main BBC One News bulletins.
Other television credits include for BBC Wales the One Show, with Aled Jones, and the Big Welsh Challenge, where she spent a year learning Welsh as well as presenting BBC One daytime programmes including Now You're Talking and City Hospital. In 2010, Williams reported for Watchdog. Williams made a cameo appearance in the Doctor Who episode "The Wedding of River Song".
In 2010 she took part in the BBC Wales programme Coming Home about her Welsh family history.
On 19 July 2012, she stood in for Kirsty Young on Crimewatch
Read more about this topic: Sian Williams
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