Gavin Esler

Journalist, broadcaster and novelist Gavin Esler was born in Clydebank and educated at Edinburgh’s George Heriot’s School, before studying English and American Literature at the University of Kent, and an MA at the University of Leeds. He joined the BBC in 1977 as a Northern Ireland reporter after working for the Belfast Telegraph, and has worked as Washington and North American Correspondent for the BBC. He is now presenter of the BBC’s Newsnight programme, and on Dateline London.

As a novelist, Esler has written five novels and one non-fiction book. His political novels are drawn from his experiences as a journalist, particularly working from Washington D.C. His most recent novel Power Play was launched at the 2009 Edinburgh International Book Festival.