Biography

James Mates joined ITN in 1983 as an editorial trainee, moving over to the ITN newsroom working on ITV's news, before becoming a correspondent in 1986. His first appointments becoming a globe trotting reporter, covering the Zeebrugge disaster of 1987, staying there around two months to oversee the capsized ferry being risen. Straight after that, Mates was sent back to London to report on the 1987 British General Election - the first of two election programs he was on [1987, 1997]. In 1989, ITN made their first regular breakfast television program - the ill fated Channel 4 Daily and the program became famous for presenting their programs individually from across the world - and James Mates became ITN Tokyo Correspondent. While reporting and reading the news for Channel 4 Daily, he also reported for ITV news bulletins. After that, he had a brief time as North of England Correspondent. Also in 1991, saw him leave Tokyo for the collapsing USSR, becoming Moscow Correspondent. During that time, he brought you the Russian country ending its 5 generations of Communism. He ended his Moscow posting to become Diplomatic Correspondent. He was there for three years [1993-1996]. While reporting around the world for ITN - Independent Television News - he won many awards for his exclusive reports. 1997 saw him becoming Washington Correspondent for five years reporting on such stories such as the American terrorist attacks, George W. Bush's first election victory and America celebrating the Millennium. Since 2002, he moved back to London to read the news again on ITV News bulletins, and becoming Senior Correspondent. His role includes reporting on a wide issue of stories including the 2005 ban of fox hunting and England winning the Rugby World Cup.
- IMDb mini biography by: Stewart Cattle

1983: Joined ITN aged 19, after graduating from Leeds University.

1985: Became a TV news reporter, making 2006 his 21st year of news reporting, beating Terry Lloyd's record of 20 years. Terry Lloyd was killed reporting for 2003's Iraq war.

He has a wife and three children, living in London.