Elizabeth Quigley, wife of Scotland's First Minister John Swinney, is leaving the BBC after nearly 27 years of service due to health reasons related to multiple sclerosis (MS).
Quigley, who began her tenure at the BBC in November 1999, was the first female political correspondent for the BBC in the newly established Scottish Parliament. Three months after starting in this role, she was diagnosed with MS. Initially, she experienced a tingling sensation in her face, which was later identified through an MRI scan as multiple sclerosis, a degenerative disease she was not deeply familiar with at the time.
At the time of her diagnosis, Quigley was advised to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid stress, advice that proved challenging for a journalist working in live television and radio news environments. For several years, she was able to continue her work without disclosing her condition. She had previously worked for The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday, and the Scottish Daily Mail before joining the BBC.