Gemma Cairney
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Award winning television presenter and radio DJ
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Chair of The Edinburgh Art Festival

Gemma is a writer, broadcaster, documentary maker, journalist, and producer.
A former Brit School pupil and fashion stylist, Gemma has presented across the breadth of the BBC and is host of The Leisure Society (BBC6 Music) and The Sound Odyssey (BBC Radio 4).
She has written for, edited, and contributed to The Guardian, Company Magazine, Red, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan. She has won Sony awards for her documentaries on subjects such as domestic abuse and produced podcasts and theatre productions through her company Boom Shakalaka.
She was the previous Southbank Artist in Residence and on the Women Of The World (WOW) committee. In 2017, Macmillan published her first book, Open: A Toolkit for How Magic and Messed-Up Life Can Be, giving advice and personal insight on subjects ranging from grief, depression, body image, sex and relationships, and everything in between. With the hope of starting a movement to get young people to open up and communicate better, Open came out in paperback in 2018, in two books, published as Open Your Heart and Open Your Mind. Gemma is also the co-author of Hometown Tales: South Coast.
She is currently Chair of The Edinburgh Art Festival and is writing her new book, The Immortal Sisterhood. It explores the lives of extraordinary women – including Nanny of the Maroons, Jeanne Duval, Grace Jones, Wang Zhenyi, Mary Seacole, Audre Lorde, Hatshepsut, Betty Davis, and more and in an unusual literary style poetically explores the interconnections of these women’s lives and her own lived experience.
Through the writing process, Gemma has developed a concept of reverence response and practice. She has created, written, and directed a collaborative and experimental theatre piece called The Immortal Sisterhood Live, with composition, operatic scales, and poetry.
Speaking clips
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Gemma’s passion and energy was so contagious and it was really interesting to hear about the work she has done in schools.
The party was a great success and as always Gemma was an absolute delight. Totally professional, collaborative and she really made the party the success it was.
Gemma was BRILLIANT last night – she really bought an energy to the awards and she did some great opening remarks – she really got why we were there and what it was all about and she had a fantastic rapport with the judges who came on stage to present their awards.
Gemma did a great job and was lovely throughout.
How to book Gemma Cairney for your event
To book Gemma Cairney, please submit an online enquiry to booking.agent@nmp.co.uk or contact one of our booking agents on +44 (0)20 3822 0003.

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