Magenta Devine

Magenta Devine (born Kim Taylor;[3][4] 4 November 1957 – 6 March 2019)[1] was a British television presenter,[3] journalist[5] and music promoter[6] best known for presenting the travel programme Rough Guide and youth programme Reportage on BBC2 in the 1990s.[7][1] She later presented Young, Gifted and Broke for ITV.[2][1]

Magenta Devine
Born
Kim Taylor

(1957-11-04)4 November 1957[1]
Hemel Hempstead, England[1]
Died6 March 2019(2019-03-06) (aged 61)[1]
London, England
Occupation(s)Television presenter and journalist
Years active1986–2019
Notable credit(s)Network 7,
Rough Guide,
Reportage,
Young, Gifted and Broke[1][2]

Career

Devine originally worked for Tony Brainsby, a publicist for Queen, Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake.[8] While still living with boyfriend (ex-Generation X bassist) Tony James, she became the music promoter for James's new band Sigue Sigue Sputnik.[9] She began her television career in 1986 as a presenter of BBC Wales's pop music show Juice.[10] Following her breakup with James, producer Janet Street-Porter booked Devine to be a presenter on Channel 4's youth programme Network 7.[1][9][11] She then moved after Street-Porter to BBC2 to present DEF II, of which Rough Guide was a feature before it became a separate programme.[1][9]

Devine appeared on Richard & Judy in 2004, and on Extreme Celebrity Detox in 2005.[5] Her voice-over work included advertisements for Peugeot, Motorola, Toyota, and Sea France.[12] In 2006, Devine fronted an Office of Fair Trading (OFT) campaign that urged consumers in the travel market to book with a member of Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA).[13] In 2001, she narrated a BBC Four programme, The New Romantics – A Fine Romance, on the New Romantic movement.[2][14]

Apart from being a television presenter, she also was UN Goodwill Ambassador in 1998, and campaigned for women's rights.[5]

Later life and death

Devine sought treatment in the 1990s for heroin addiction and depression.[1][9] In 2003, she was declared bankrupt by London's High Court.[12]

Devine died on 6 March 2019, after a short illness for which she was undergoing treatment at a central London hospital. She was 61 years old.[9]

Television programmes

References
  1. Pollock, David. "Magenta Devine, TV presenter known for Network 7 and Rough Guide". The Herald. Glasgow: The Herald (Scotland) – Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  2. "Magenta De Vine – Filmography". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  3. McFadyean, Melanie (17 October 1993). "How We Met: Magenta De Vine and David Okuefuna". The Independent. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  4. Sullivan, Caroline (7 March 2019). "Magenta Devine obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  5. Mumford, Gwilym (6 March 2019). "Magenta Devine, presenter of Network 7 and Rough Guide, dies aged 61". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  6. "'Aylesbury legend' Magenta Devine dies aged 61". BucksHerald.co.uk. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  7. "Media hypocrites fuelled by cocaine". The Independent. 24 October 1998. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  8. Stubbs, David (6 March 2019). "Magenta Devine: an 80s TV icon of effortless style and substance". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  9. "Magenta Devine, TV presenter, dies at 61". BBC News. BBC. 6 March 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  10. "Juice". TVCream.co.uk. TV Cream. 24 April 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  11. "Network 7". TVCream.co.uk. TV Cream. 20 September 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  12. "Rough times for TV's Magenta". Evening Standard. 27 November 2003. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  13. "OFT launches ABTA consumer code of practice". TravelDailyNews.com. TravelDailyNews Media Network. 20 January 2006. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  14. "BBC One – The New Romantics: A Fine Romance". BBC. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  15. "TV presenter and former music publicist Magenta Devine has died, aged 61". NME. 6 March 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  16. "Reportage". IMDb. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
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