Robert Peston
The British journalist whose breathless, insider reporting defined the public understanding of the 2008 financial meltdown.
Born 1960 (age 66)·British journalist, currently ITV News Political Editor·Birthday: April 25·Baby Boomers
Biography
With his distinctive, urgent delivery and a web of deep City contacts, Robert Peston became the essential narrator of the greatest economic story of a generation. He didn't just report on the 2008 crisis; he seemed to be living it in real-time, breaking news on bank collapses and government bailouts that would dominate headlines for weeks. His move from print journalism to the BBC placed him at the center of the storm, making his name synonymous with financial scoops. Later, as ITV's Political Editor, he brought that same energy to Westminster, dissecting Brexit and political upheaval. Beyond broadcasting, Peston is driven by a belief in social mobility, founding the charity Futures for All to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. His career is a blend of high-stakes journalism and a palpable sense of civic duty.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Robert was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Robert Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Robert's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Broke the landmark story of the Bank of England's emergency loan to Northern Rock in 2007.
- Served as the Business Editor and later the Economics Editor for BBC News.
- Appointed Political Editor for ITV News in 2015, hosting the flagship show 'Peston'.
- Founded the education charity 'Futures for All' to support disadvantaged youth.
Did You Know?
He is the son of the Labour life peer Maurice Peston.
He wrote a novel, 'The Whistleblower', about a financial crisis.
He previously worked as the Financial Editor for the BBC's 'Newsnight' program.
His brother is the economist and writer Simon Peston.
“The thing about bubbles is they look so obvious in retrospect.”
