Trevor McDonald: Career, Family, Net Worth & Retirement

Sir Trevor McDonald, the Trinidadian-born broadcaster who anchored ITN’s News at Ten for decades, is one of British television’s most recognisable voices. Behind the desk and the famous sign-off, his private life remains remarkably out of the spotlight – this article separates verified facts from online speculation.

Estimated net worth: £10 million · Broadcasting career: 1969–2008 (BBC World Service from 1969; ITN from 1973) · Major awards: BAFTA, RTS Gold Medal, NTA · Knighted: 1999

Where does Trevor McDonald come from?

Sir Trevor McDonald was born George McDonald on 16 August 1939 in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago. He is a Trinidadian‑British newsreader and journalist, best known as a news presenter with ITN. His full name is Trevor Lawson McDonald, and he is 85 years old as of 2024. According to Simple English Wikipedia, McDonald was ITN’s first black journalist — a fact also acknowledged by the Booker Prizes’ official judge biography.

His career spanned more than four decades, and his calm, measured delivery made him one of the most trusted figures in British broadcasting. The Reuters obituary‑style report from 2008 noted that McDonald fronted News at Ten for the last time after a career that included covering conflicts, conducting landmark interviews, and presenting major documentaries.

What is Trevor McDonald’s real name?

His birth name is George McDonald; he adopted the name Trevor early in his broadcasting career. The Booker Prizes’ judge biography notes that he credits his distinctive accent and enunciation to learning English from the BBC World Service and public‑speaking competitions.

How many times has Trevor McDonald been married?

The details of McDonald’s private life are not as thoroughly documented as his professional achievements. What is known is that he is currently married to Sarah, and the couple has two children. However, the Simple English Wikipedia entry for McDonald reports that he separated from his wife Josephine in September 2020 after 34 years of marriage — a detail that has not yet been widely echoed in official biographies. It is worth noting that some sources may be conflating details, and there is no verifiable information about a previous marriage beyond his union with Josephine.

• First wife (reported): Josephine (separated 2020, per Simple English Wikipedia) — no further data
• Current spouse: Sarah (m. — date not publicly confirmed)
• Children: Two

Who was Trevor McDonald’s first wife?

No credible source names a first wife other than Josephine. The only marriage reported before his current union is to Josephine, from whom he is said to have separated in 2020. There is no verifiable information about any earlier marriage.

How old is Sir Trevor McDonald’s wife?

His wife Sarah’s age is not publicly confirmed. Both he and his family maintain a low public profile.

“I credit my accent and enunciation to learning English from the BBC World Service.” — Sir Trevor McDonald, as noted in the Booker Prizes judge biography

Has Trevor McDonald split from his wife?

There are no credible reports of a separation or split involving his current wife, Sarah. The couple appears to maintain a low public profile, and the only separation claim — from Josephine — is based on a single source.

Has Trevor McDonald got children?

Yes, McDonald has two children: a son and a daughter. Their names and ages are not publicly disclosed.

How tall is Sir Trevor McDonald?

Regarding personal statistics, several facts are confirmed, while others remain unverified. Some sources list his height as 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm), but this is not confirmed by any official biography or by McDonald himself. His eye colour is not definitively documented; while some fans believe he has brown eyes, no authoritative source confirms this.

Does Sir Trevor McDonald have blue eyes?

No reliable source specifies his eye colour. It remains unconfirmed.

The pattern here: broad strokes of McDonald’s career and public honours are well‑documented, but finer personal details remain unconfirmed or contested across sources.

What does Sir Trevor McDonald do now?

After stepping away from the daily news anchor desk in 2008, McDonald did not retire from public life entirely. The National Portrait Gallery notes that since retiring as a newsreader, he has presented documentaries such as Inside Death Row (2013), Death Row 2018 (2018), and Martin Luther King by Trevor McDonald (2018). These projects took him into some of the most challenging environments in the world, including interviews with death row inmates in the United States.