Elizabeth Rizzini is a British BBC weather presenter and Met Office-trained broadcaster known for delivering forecasts across television and radio. Her work includes BBC Breakfast, BBC London, national news bulletins and specialist weather coverage. Beyond her television career, she has attracted public interest through her relationship with BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner.
However, her story involves much more than weather forecasts and her personal life. From studying abroad to developing an interest in astronomy and supporting charitable organisations, Rizzini has built a varied broadcasting career. This Elizabeth Rizzini biography explores her education, professional journey, relationship, children and notable achievements, with a clear distinction between verified facts and unconfirmed personal information.
Quick Bio
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Elizabeth Rizzini |
| Profession | Weather presenter and broadcaster |
| Known For | BBC Weather and television forecasting |
| Broadcasting Organisation | BBC |
| Professional Training | UK Met Office |
| Education | Master’s degree focusing on environmental journalism and climate change |
| Television Appearances | BBC Breakfast, BBC News, BBC London, BBC World |
| Other Programmes | Newsround, Antiques Roadshow, The Sky at Night |
| Partner | Frank Gardner |
| Children | Two daughters |
| Notable Achievement | Winner of Celebrity Mastermind in 2025 |
| Professional Interests | Meteorology, climate communication, astronomy and space weather |
Biographical details are based on professional broadcasting profiles, published correspondence, company records and charity records.
Who Is Elizabeth Rizzini?
BBC weather presenter Elizabeth Rizzini is an experienced broadcaster who combines meteorological training with a background in environmental journalism. She is known for presenting weather information in an accessible way, helping audiences understand changing conditions across Britain and beyond.
She has worked on regional and national BBC television, radio programmes and international broadcasts. Her professional experience also includes live event hosting, public speaking and communication about environmental issues.
Unlike presenters whose careers are limited to studio broadcasting, Rizzini has covered specialist subjects, including astronomy and weather conditions affecting major sporting events. Her professional profiles document work across several BBC platforms and other television productions.
Elizabeth Rizzini’s Early Life and Education
Growing Up and Studying Abroad
Rizzini was born in London and grew up in Croydon, according to her professional biography. Her background includes time spent living and studying in France and Spain, experiences that contributed to her international outlook.
She spent several years in Madrid before returning to Britain to continue her education. Living abroad also allowed her to develop language skills that later became useful in broadcasting and professional events.
Her professional biography describes her as fluent in Spanish and Italian. This multilingual background is one of the less frequently discussed aspects of her career.
Academic Qualifications and Meteorology Training
After returning to the United Kingdom, Rizzini completed a master’s degree focusing on environmental journalism and climate change.
This educational background provided a foundation for explaining environmental subjects to audiences without specialist scientific knowledge.
She subsequently undertook professional meteorological training with the UK Met Office. Her qualifications combine two related disciplines: understanding weather information and communicating complex scientific subjects clearly.
Elizabeth Rizzini’s BBC Weather Career
How Her Broadcasting Career Began
Rizzini’s professional journey into weather broadcasting began with the Met Office. In correspondence published by The TV Room, she said she joined the organisation around 2008–2009.
Her television debut followed in November 2010 on BBC South East Today. This early broadcasting opportunity helped establish her career as a television weather forecaster.
She also received television presentation training from established BBC weather broadcasters, including Michael Fish and Carol Kirkwood.
Her early BBC assignments introduced her to the demands of delivering forecasts live, explaining weather graphics and providing useful information within limited broadcasting time.
From Regional Weather to National Broadcasting
Following her early work on BBC South East Today, Rizzini developed experience across different BBC programmes and regions.
Her career has included appearances on BBC London, Look East and Points West, alongside national television and radio broadcasts.
Her notable broadcasting credits include:
- BBC Breakfast
- BBC News at One
- BBC News at Six
- BBC News at Ten
- BBC World
- BBC Radio 4
- BBC Radio 5 Live
Working across these programmes requires presenting weather information for different audiences, from regional viewers planning their day to national audiences following significant weather developments.
Rizzini’s career has also included radio presenting, where forecasters must describe changing conditions without relying on visual maps.
Her BBC Work in 2026
Rizzini remained active in BBC broadcasting during 2026, including appearances on BBC Breakfast.
Her weather expertise also contributed to BBC Sport’s tennis coverage. In January 2026, BBC Sport featured her explanation of the extreme heat affecting the Australian Open in Melbourne.
She explained how changing wind directions can produce significant temperature differences, with hot air travelling from Australia’s interior and cooler air arriving from the south.
In June 2026, she also authored BBC Weather coverage of the conditions expected during the opening week of Wimbledon. These assignments demonstrate how weather forecasting connects with professional sport and public safety.
Astronomy, Space Weather and Specialist Broadcasting
One particularly interesting part of Rizzini’s career is her enthusiasm for astronomy and space weather.
She has produced and presented specialist stargazing forecasts associated with BBC Weather and The Sky at Night.
Space weather differs from ordinary atmospheric weather. It concerns activity originating from the Sun, including solar radiation and charged particles, which can affect technology and conditions around Earth.
Her professional biography also highlights a weather forecast connected with a Mars rover mission that was featured on Channel 4’s Gogglebox.
Her broadcasting credits extend to features for CBBC’s Newsround and Antiques Roadshow. These appearances show the variety of subjects and television formats she has worked with during her career.
Elizabeth Rizzini and Frank Gardner: Their Relationship
Who Is Elizabeth Rizzini’s Partner?
Elizabeth Rizzini is in a publicly documented relationship with Frank Gardner, the BBC’s security correspondent and an author.
Gardner is known for reporting on international security, terrorism and global affairs. Both journalists work in broadcasting, although their professional specialisms are different.
Their relationship became public around 2020. In an interview published by The Times in May 2024, Gardner discussed their relationship, which had lasted approximately four years at that point.
Media reporting in August 2026 continued to identify them as a couple. Despite public interest in their relationship, they have generally kept much of their private life outside extensive media coverage.
Are Elizabeth Rizzini and Frank Gardner Married?
A common question is whether Frank Gardner is Elizabeth Rizzini’s husband.
Although they have been together for several years, reliable public reporting identifies Gardner as her partner rather than her husband.
As of October 2026, there is no verified public announcement establishing that they have married.
The distinction matters because some online biographies use the terms husband and partner interchangeably. Their established relationship does not, by itself, confirm a legal marriage.
Rizzini also appeared in the 2020 BBC documentary Being Frank: The Frank Gardner Story, which examined Gardner’s life and experiences.
Elizabeth Rizzini’s Previous Marriage and Family Life
What Is Known About Her Former Husband?
Before her relationship with Gardner, Rizzini was married. Published reports have described her former husband as Italian, although comprehensive details of that marriage have not been reliably established.
Information about his identity, occupation and the circumstances surrounding their separation is limited.
Rather than treating unverified divorce dates or names as established facts, it is more accurate to focus on the relationship information supported by public reporting.
Does Elizabeth Rizzini Have Children?
Elizabeth Rizzini has two daughters from her earlier family life. This information appears in her broadcasting biography and is supported by subsequent reporting.
She has occasionally discussed family experiences connected with her broadcasting work.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she described the challenges of presenting from home and recalled an occasion when her younger daughter briefly participated in a BBC Radio 5 Live broadcast.
Rizzini generally keeps her children’s personal lives away from public attention. There is no reliable public reporting establishing that she and Frank Gardner have children together.
Elizabeth Rizzini Age: How Old Is She?
Elizabeth Rizzini’s age is another frequently searched subject, and the available biographical information requires careful interpretation.
The broadcasting reference website The TV Room lists her birthday as 19 November without confirming a birth year.
However, the UK Companies House register lists Elizabeth Clare Rizzini, who served as a company director alongside Frank Gardner, as having been born in November 1976. This strongly supports a reported birth month and year of November 1976, although Companies House does not independently verify information submitted in company filings.
Based on that record, Rizzini would be 49 years old as of October 2026 and would turn 50 in November 2026. Her exact date of birth has not been independently confirmed.
Her professional career, education and television appearances remain considerably better documented than some other details of her personal background.
Elizabeth Rizzini’s Charity Work and Celebrity Mastermind
Winning Celebrity Mastermind in 2025
One of Rizzini’s notable television achievements came in 2025 when she won an episode of BBC Two’s Celebrity Mastermind.
Her specialist subject was Canadian singer Céline Dion, and she achieved a score of 23 points.
Her appearance supported charitable organisations, including Hospice in the Weald, which provides care to individuals and families in Kent and East Sussex.
The charity had a personal significance for Rizzini because it provided care for her cousin Jo, who died in 2021.
Following her victory, Hospice in the Weald publicly thanked her for helping raise funds and awareness of its services.
This appearance offered audiences a different perspective on the broadcaster, highlighting her interests and commitment to charitable causes outside her regular weather presentations.
Marathon Running and Animal Welfare
Rizzini’s charity involvement extends beyond television competitions.
In 2016, she completed the London Marathon in support of Save the Children and Médecins Sans Frontières. She has also spoken about taking part in the Great North Run.
Animal welfare is another area of interest. She has supported Cats Protection and participated as a celebrity judge in its National Cat Awards.
The organisation confirmed her involvement in its 2021 judging panel, demonstrating a continuing interest in supporting animal-related causes.
What Makes Elizabeth Rizzini’s Broadcasting Career Distinctive?
Rizzini’s broadcasting background combines several complementary skills: meteorological training, environmental education, language ability and live television experience.
Her work demonstrates that weather presenting involves more than reading temperatures from a screen. Effective forecasting communication requires complex information to be organised into understandable explanations.
Her experience also reaches beyond daily weather bulletins. Through astronomy coverage, major sporting events, radio broadcasts and educational programming, she has applied her specialist knowledge in different settings.
Beyond broadcasting, her work as an event presenter and conference moderator reflects the broader professional opportunities available to communicators with expertise in science and environmental subjects.
Conclusion
Elizabeth Rizzini has developed a substantial career in British broadcasting, progressing from regional BBC weather coverage to national television, radio and specialist forecasting.
Her Met Office training, environmental journalism background and interest in astronomy have helped shape her professional work. Meanwhile, her relationship with Frank Gardner and her charitable activities have attracted attention beyond the weather studio.
Although some personal details remain unverified, her broadcasting experience and achievements provide a well-documented picture of a versatile BBC presenter.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Elizabeth Rizzini?
Elizabeth Rizzini is a British BBC weather presenter and Met Office-trained broadcaster. She is known for presenting forecasts on BBC Breakfast, BBC London and national news programmes.
How old is Elizabeth Rizzini in 2026?
According to a UK Companies House record associated with Elizabeth Clare Rizzini, her birth month and year are November 1976. This suggests she is 49 as of October 2026 and will turn 50 in November 2026. The filing is not an independently verified birth record.
Is Elizabeth Rizzini married to Frank Gardner?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Elizabeth Rizzini and Frank Gardner are married. They are publicly known as long-term partners.
Does Elizabeth Rizzini have children?
Yes. Elizabeth Rizzini has two daughters. She generally maintains privacy concerning their personal lives and identities.
What qualifications does Elizabeth Rizzini have?
She completed a master’s degree focusing on environmental journalism and climate change and undertook professional meteorological training with the UK Met Office.
Is Elizabeth Rizzini still working for the BBC?
Yes. Her broadcasting work continued during 2026, including BBC Breakfast appearances and specialist weather coverage associated with major tennis events.
