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Fiona Armstrong, Lady MacGregor (born 28 November 1956) is a British television journalist and is Lord Lieutenant of Dumfriesshire. She is also the author of several books and has written for newspapers and made television programmes on Scottish topics including fishing and Scottish clans.
She studied German Literature at University College, London; while there, she edited the London Student newspaper. The Stage Thursday 17 April 1985, page 19
She presented the breakfast news programme on BBC World, before rejoining ITV Border as a presenter of Lookaround, as well as a presenter and producer on a number of regional programmes for the station, including "Eagle's Eye" and Fiona on Fishing. She has fronted antiques, political, cooking and lifestyle programmes for the ITV regions. As one of the UK's best known female anglers, she has written two fishing books and made fishing films for Sky TV's 'Tight Lines' programme. Her series River Journeys was shown on the Discovery Channel.
In February 2009, ITV Tyne Tees & Border was launched, replacing ITV Tyne Tees and ITV Border. Armstrong was announced as Features Correspondent for the service on a Freelancer basis. Presenters Armstrong, Pearson and Backshall survive Border TV axe , News & Star, 13 January 2009. Full Border TV Lookaround line-up revealed , News & Star, 17 January 2009 Her work took her to Cambodia to report on the work of land mine charities and to West Africa to cover the work of the Mercy Ships. Armstrong returned to network television news on 15 February 2010 as a presenter for the BBC News Channel. She went on to present Border Life, a current affairs programme for ITV Border. While working as a journalist for the BBC News Channel, Armstrong interviewed the civil rights activist and writer Darcus Howe on the subject of the street disturbances in England in summer 2011. During the interview on 9 August 2011, studio-based Armstrong asserted: "You are not a stranger to riots yourself, I understand, are you? You have taken part in them yourself." Howe denied that he had ever taken part in riots and was clearly offended. The BBC later issued a qualified apology to Darcus Howe for Armstrong's accusation.
Armstrong specialises in Scottish clan history. She has made more than 20 films on Scottish families, and in 2006, set up the first Border Reiver Trail in the south of Scotland. She is a columnist for magazines and newspapers, including Scottish Field magazine, the "Courier" newspaper, and the American-based Scotbanner newspaper.
She is on the board of the University of Central Lancashire as well as being a fellow there. She is Chairman of the Clan Armstrong Trust and a judge of Cumbria Book of the Year. She is also patron of the "Bookmark" book festival and a deputy lieutenant of Dumfriesshire. She is currently writing a book on Queen Victoria and a family connection to Scotland.
Her appointment as Lord Lieutenant of Dumfries was announced on 26 January 2016.
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