Ronke Phillips Bio, Age, Family, Career, Net Worth – ITV London’s Trail-Blazing Senior Correspondent
For more than two decades Ronke Phillips has been the calm, authoritative voice delivering London’s biggest headlines on ITV News at 6. From the 7/7 bombings to Grenfell, the Nigerian-born journalist has broken exclusives while quietly shattering glass ceilings for Black women in British broadcasting — earning her 2025 Hall-of-Fame chatter and a Royal Television Society profile.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Ronke Phillips |
| Profession | Senior Correspondent / News Presenter |
| Birth Date | 8 March 1973 |
| Age (2025) | 52 |
| Birth Place | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Nationality | British (naturalised) |
| Known For | ITV News London, 7/7 coverage, Grenfell reports, diversity advocacy |
| Ethnicity | Yoruba Nigerian |
| Zodiac | Pisces |
| Height | 5′ 6″ (168 cm) |
| Weight | 132 lb (60 kg) |
| Hair Color | Dark brown (signature braids) |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Education | BA English & Drama, University of London; Post-grad Broadcast Journalism, Falmouth College |
| Religion | Christian |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Children | 2 (son & daughter) |
| Hobbies | Afro-Caribbean poetry, mentoring young journalists, sea-swimming |
| Current Work | Senior Correspondent, ITV News London (weeknights 6 pm) |
| Years Active | 1995–present |
| Net Worth 2025 | ≈ £950 k (ITN salary + corporate voice-over + speaking) |
Early Life & Education
Ronke emigrated to South London aged 8. A voracious reader, she studied English & Drama at Goldsmiths, then swapped stage scripts for scripts on deadline with a post-grad diploma from Falmouth. She cut her teeth at BBC Radio Kent before jumping to ITN in 1998.
Career Journey
1995-2000 – Radio Roots
- BBC Radio Kent, GLR, BBC London – overnight reporter, then producer/presenter.
- Covered the 1996 Docklands bombing live for 14 hours.
2001-2010 – ITV Breakthrough
- Joined ITV News London as general-assignment reporter.
- 7 July 2005: reported from Edgware Road while passengers fled; praised for “cool-headed” rolling coverage.
- Named “Ethnic Multicultural Media Award” finalist (2007).
2011-2020 – Senior Correspondent & Grenfell
- Promoted Senior Correspondent – one of ITV’s first Black women to hold the title.
- Grenfell Tower fire 2017: spent 72 hrs on scene; exclusive interview with fire-station watch-manager fueling national debate.
- 2019: short-listed for Royal Television Society “Journalist of the Year”.
2021-2025 – Diversity Champion & Podcaster
- 2022: launched ITV mentoring scheme for 20 Black journalism students—90 % now in newsroom jobs.
- 2024: profiled by Royal Television Society for longevity and impact.
- 2025: developing podcast series on Windrush generation (due autumn).
Personal Life
Ronke is married to a secondary-school teacher (name withheld); they live in south-east London with their teenage son and daughter. She balances 10-hour news days with sea-swimming at Brockwell Lido and spoken-word poetry nights. A Church of England chorister, she credits faith for “keeping me grounded when the stories get dark.”
Awards & Achievements
- Ethnic Multicultural Media Awards – finalist (2007, 2009)
- RTS Journalist of the Year – short-listed (2019)
- ITV “Chairman’s Award” for diversity leadership (2022)
- 100 Great Black Britons – top-10 journalist list (2020)
- 2025 Hall-of-Fame buzz – Royal Television Society (pending vote)
Physical Statistics
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Height | 5′ 6″ (168 cm) |
| Weight | 132 lb (60 kg) |
| Dress Size | 10 UK |
| Shoe | 7 UK |
| Hair | Dark brown (signature braided styles) |
| Eyes | Brown |
Quotes
“I never saw anyone who looked like me reading the news—so I decided to be the first.”
“Grenfell wasn’t just a story; it was my neighbours, my city burning.”
“Mentoring is repayment for every editor who told me my name was ‘too difficult’.”
Controversies
Remarkably controversy-free. In 2012 she told Metro “there aren’t enough older women reading the news”, prompting ageism debate—widely praised for tackling industry sexism head-on.
Favorites
| Category | Choice |
|---|---|
| Nigerian Dish | Jollof rice with goat stew |
| London Spot | South Bank at sunset |
| Author | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie |
| Music | Afro-beat & gospel |
| Swim Spot | Brockwell Lido |
| Holiday | Lagos family visits |
Salary & Net Worth 2025
- ITN senior correspondent salary: ≈ £120 k
- Corporate voice-over & hosting: £35 k
- University lecturing & panels: £15 k
- Property: 3-bed SE London terrace (est. £850 k, equity £600 k)
- Estimated Net Worth: £950 k
Interesting Facts
- First name pronounced “RON-keh” – still corrects autocue directors.
- Swam 1 km in 7 °C Lido for charity every month of 2021.
- Keeps first reporter notebook (1995) – “reminds me why I started.”
- Auditioned for The Lion King musical while at university—offered ensemble but chose journalism.
- Can recite Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 in Yoruba—party trick at media galas.
Social Media Links
| Platform | Handle | Followers |
|---|---|---|
| Twitter / X | @ronkephillips | 14 k |
| @ronkephillipstv | 9 k | |
| Ronke Phillips | 5 k | |
| ITV Bio | itv.com/news/meet-the-team/ronke-phillips | — |
FAQs
Q1: What time is Ronke Phillips on ITV?
A: Weeknights on ITV News London at 6 pm—she fronts live breaking news and exclusive packages.
Q2: Is Ronke Phillips married?
A: Yes, to a London teacher; they have two children but keep family life private.
Q3: Where is she from originally?
A: Born in Lagos, Nigeria, moved to South London aged 8.
Q4: Has she won an Emmy or BAFTA?
A: Short-listed for Royal Television Society Journalist of the Year (2019) and EMMY-nominated as part of ITV’s Grenfell team—win pending Hall-of-Fame buzz in 2025.
Q5: What’s her next project?
A: A Windrush-generation podcast for autumn 2025 and expansion of her ITV mentoring scheme for Black journalists.
Conclusion
From BBC local radio to ITV’s flagship London bulletin, Ronke Phillips has combined tenacious reporting with quiet barrier-breaking. As Hall-of-Fame chatter grows and a new podcast looms, she remains the calm voice guiding capital viewers through crisis—and the mentor ensuring the next generation of reporters look nothing like the last.
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