Trivia

Very popular with the public and highly respected by her colleagues and guests alike, she is one of the best known TV personalities in Norway: awarded the title TV Name of the Year in 1996, Name of the Year in 1996 and 1997, The Great Award in Journalism (Den Store Journalistprisen) in 1998 and the Norwegian literature award Brageprisen in 1998.

Brimming with self-confidence in-front of the camera, ironically her private side has a fear of being seen alone in public. She admits to never going alone to the cinema, cafés, concerts and so on.

When she was young she used to do other kids' homework for money, the better the grade the more money she got. She admits it wasn't financially motivated but that she did it to become more popular.

After two years at NRK's (Norwegian National Broadcasting Network) radio division she moved into television, and became the new Asia correspondent for the TV news from 1993 to 1996. She had to force herself to overcome her fear of flying to get the job.

Has one child, daughter Johanne born in 1977, from her first marriage.

Known for her often dry wit and deadpan humour, when she in 2002 was asked on a website if she thought the internet was here to stay she answered: "No, it's probably gone by Christmas."

Working on the pre-production of the Norwegian version of the popular British game-show "The Weakest Link", where she will host. (March 2004)