John Pienaar


John Adrian Pienaar is a British journalist who currently works for Times Radio, previously rising to prominence as deputy political editor for BBC News.

Early life

Pienaar's parents, Eric and Johanna Pienaar, were both born in South Africa. He was educated at Bromley Technical High School, in Keston, Bromley, London and then obtained his NCTJ training at Highbury College, Portsmouth.

Career

Pienaar began his career in journalism at the South London Press, before becoming an Old Bailey correspondent. He was then a political correspondent at The Independent, the Press Association, The Guardian, and from 1992 the BBC, on a range of TV and radio news and current affairs programmes.
In 2002, he became Chief Political Correspondent at Radio 5 Live, and presented a Sunday morning programme, Pienaar's Politics. He also hosted Question Time Extra Time alongside Stephen Nolan. and served as a stand-in host on BBC Two's Daily Politics. From 2015-2020 he was the BBC's deputy political editor.
Pienaar started presenting the drivetime programme on the new Times Radio station in June 2020.

Personal life

Pienaar married Denise Walsh in 1980 and they had a son and a daughter. They divorced and Pienaar married Penny Davies, with whom he has two daughters.
He is a fan of Crystal Palace Football Club.