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29th January 2024
04:31pm GMT
Broadcaster, Oprah Winfrey is marking quite the milestone as her 70th birthday lands today. The presenter has become a household name but we've taken a walk down memory lane to look at where it all began, how she became a world-famous presenter, and the personal successes she's celebrated throughout her life.
Oprah has been hailed as one of the most influential women in the world, but where did it all begin? Winfrey started working at a local black radio station called WVOL. The presenter caught their attention during school. The presenter hosted the news on a part-time basis, but this was her introduction to the media world.
As her career kicked off, Winfrey became the youngest, as well as the first black female presenter at WLAC-TV. In the early days of her career, she worked as a co-anchor, as well as the host of 'Dialing for Dollars'. However, it was a move to Chicago in 1984 that catapulted Oprah's career. She landed a gig on 'AM Chicago', which had some of the lowest ratings on TV at the time. However, Winfrey worked her charm and managed to turn things around in the most impressive way. The show's rating soared and the station decided to rename it; 'The Oprah Winfrey Show'.
She became the host of one of the biggest talk shows of our time, but Winfrey didn't stop there. Throughout her career she continued to add strings to her bow including producing numerous series, interviewing some of the biggest celebrities, and writing books. Some of her most notable celebrity interviews include Michael Jackson, Barrack Obama, Rihanna, Maya Angelou, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Not only has she had a successful career in media, but Winfrey is also a celebrated actress. She has appeared in movies including 'The Colour Purple', 'Selma', 'A Wrinkle in Time' and 'The Princess Frog'. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in 'The Colour Purple'.
Being an Oscar nominee and a famous presenter wasn't enough, Oprah then dove into a different media world and launched a magazine called 'O', a website under the handle 'Oprah.com', and even her own radio station, Oprah Radio.
Seriously, is there anything she can't do?
Winfrey has been in a relationship with Stedman Graham since 1986, but the pair never married. They were engaged for a year, but they quickly realised that marriage was not the right step for them. Graham popped the question in 1992, but they called their engagement off a year later.
Oprah explained that she liked the idea of being proposed to, but she didn't want to be married.
She explained in an article for 'O': "I wanted to know he felt I was worthy of being his missus, but I didn’t want the sacrifices, the compromises, the day-in-day-out commitment required to make a marriage work."
She believes not marrying Stedman Graham was actually good for their relationship. The pair have remained together for over 40 years and Oprah has stressed that they would not have stayed together if they got married. She told People: "Both he and I now say, 'If we had married, we would not be together.'"
Winfrey and Graham never had children, but the presenter has often opened up about why she is child-free. She revealed that she lost a baby when she was only 14 years old. She told Vanity Fair in 2017 that she never wanted another child after that.
"I didn't want babies and wouldn't have been a good mom for babies. I don't have the patience."
She added: "I have the patience for puppies but that's a quick stage."
Being such a media powerhouse, it comes as no surprise to see Oprah Winfrey befriend huge stars over the past seven decades. However, her oldest and dearest friend is fellow journalist, Gayle King. The pair have been friends since they first met when working at WJZ in Baltimore. They have remained friends since the 1970s and supported one another through both personal and career milestones.
Winfrey is also friends with some pretty major stars and royalty, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Long before that famous interview, Winfrey attended the couple's 2018 wedding at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.
From royals to presidents, Winfrey also shares a close bond with both Barack and Michelle Obama. Former President Obama has often praised the journalist and even hailed her as one of the most influential women in the world. Winfrey endorsed Obama during his Democratic presidential nomination campaign.
Oprah Winfrey may be one of the biggest names in the media, but it's her generosity and charity work that has proven her to be one of the kindest female celebrities. The list of charity work she has done is impossible to wrap your head around. She was the first black woman to become a billionaire in 2003 but ensured she used her wealth for good.
Before 2012, Winfrey donated an incredible $400 million to educational causes. Winfrey also granted 400 scholarships to Morehouse College in Atlanta.
She set up the charity, Oprah's Angel Network, which supported charitable projects and provided grants to nonprofit organisations all around the world. Before the charity shut down, it raised an astonishing €80 million. 100% of all funds were donated to charity because Winfrey covered all of the charity's administrative costs.
'Oprah's Christmas Kindness' helped raise €7 million for children in South Africa who were affected by both poverty and AIDS. The programme raised awareness, as well as millions of young people who desperately needed the public's support. Oprah travelled throughout South Africa for 21 days for the show. During the trip, she gave Christmas presents to 50,000 children, as well as school supplies.
The list of Winfrey's charitable efforts is extensive, but one of her standout moments was establishing the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. The programme built a school for over 400 people and features state-of-the-art classrooms, science laboratories, a theatre, a library and even a beauty salon.
After facing multiple challenges and heartaches throughout her childhood, Winfrey wanted to use her status and wealth to give back to others.
She said: "If you are surrounded by beautiful things and wonderful teachers who inspire you, that beauty brings out the beauty in you."
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