
Ellie Costello: Husband, Career, Net Worth, and Biography
If you’ve tuned into GB News Breakfast over the past year, Ellie Costello has likely been the one guiding you through the morning headlines. But the broadcaster’s journey from BBC News reporter to a TRIC‑award‑winning breakfast anchor is packed with more twists—and a very Irish wedding—than most viewers realise, separating what’s confirmed from what’s still fuzzy.
Award: TRIC Award · Spouse: Gerard Durkan · Previous Network: BBC News · Instagram: @elliecostellotv
Quick snapshot
- Breakfast Anchor at GB News (LinkedIn profile)
- Previously a journalist at BBC News (Express)
- Won TRIC Award for Breakfast Show (Becca Barr Management)
- Instagram handle @elliecostellotv (Instagram)
- Exact age and height
- Net worth (no official figure)
- Full details of the reported stalking case
- Wedding date specifics
- July 2025: second wedding ceremony in Ireland (Express)
- Continues as Breakfast Anchor on GB News
- Likely to grow her social‑media presence
Seven facts, one pattern: Costello’s public record is strongest on her career milestones, while personal details remain sketchy and mostly unverified.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Ellie Costello |
| Occupation | Breakfast Anchor |
| Employer | GB News |
| Spouse | Gerard Durkan |
| Previous Employer | BBC News |
| Award | TRIC Award |
| @elliecostellotv |
Who is Ellie Costello’s husband?
- Gerard Durkan – her longtime partner, not a public figure (Express)
- Irish wedding – the couple reportedly held a second ceremony in Ireland in July 2025 (Express)
Ellie Costello is married to Gerard Durkan, though he stays out of the spotlight. According to an Express profile, the couple celebrated their union with a second wedding in Ireland, honouring Costello’s Irish heritage. No official wedding date has been formally announced, and Durkan’s profession is not publicly listed.
Costello’s husband is deliberately private, meaning most of what we know comes from brief mentions in tabloid reports rather than from the couple themselves.
Gerard Durkan: husband and partner
- Low public profile – no verified social-media accounts or professional bio (Express)
- Relationship length – no confirmed timeline of when they met or began dating
Durkan’s preference for privacy means the couple’s relationship details are largely unconfirmed. What is clear: the pair are married and have marked their commitment with a ceremony in Ireland.
The wedding ceremony and Irish heritage
The Express article reports that Costello and Durkan tied the knot for a second time in Ireland in July 2025, a nod to Costello’s Irish roots. The first wedding date and location remain undisclosed. Costello has not posted about the wedding on her public Instagram feed.
The pattern: Costello guards her private life tightly. The sparse information available comes from a single Express article, reinforcing that personal details are not part of her public brand.
What did Ellie Costello do before GB News?
- BBC News (2017–2021) – held multiple roles: Broadcast Journalist, Radio Reporter, Television News Reporter (LinkedIn)
- BBC World Service – also contributed as a journalist (Becca Barr Management)
- Education – studied English Literature at University of Southampton, then a Masters in Broadcast Journalism at City, University of London (Express)
Costello’s pre‑GB News career is well documented through her LinkedIn profile and her management bio. She spent roughly four years at the BBC, moving from radio to television news, and was recognised as a BBC “Rising Star” in 2020 (Becca Barr Management). She covered major events including Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, King Charles III’s coronation, and the 2024 US election.
BBC News and World Service
Her LinkedIn timeline shows she joined BBC News in August 2017 as a Broadcast Journalist. She later became a Radio Reporter (October 2018) and then a Television News Reporter (September 2019), a role she held until May 2021 (LinkedIn). During this time she also worked for BBC World Service, covering international stories.
Victoria Live program
According to her management profile, Costello presented on Victoria Live, a daily BBC programme. This role helped her transition from field reporting to studio anchoring (Becca Barr Management).
Training and early career
Costello graduated from the University of Southampton with a degree in English Literature before completing a Masters in Broadcast Journalism at City, University of London (Express). She has described 2016 as the year she both finished her undergraduate degree and began her Masters (Instagram).
Costello’s BBC experience equipped her to cover high‑stakes events from royal funerals to elections, a foundation that GB News clearly valued when they brought her on as a national correspondent in 2022.
The implication: Costello’s pre‑GB News resume is the most transparent part of her biography. Any viewer interested in her credibility can trace her steps through BBC bulletins, awards, and training.
Is Ellie Costello Italian?
- Heritage: Irish – Costello is of Irish descent, not Italian (Express)
- Surname origin – “Costello” is an Irish surname, though it can be mistaken for Italian by some viewers
A persistent online question is whether Ellie Costello is Italian. The answer is no: both her own social‑media posts and media profiles confirm Irish heritage. The surname “Costello” is Irish (an Anglicised form of Ó Coistealbha), which may cause confusion.
Her actual heritage: Irish
In posts on Instagram, Costello has referenced her Irish background, and the Express profile explicitly states she is Irish. Her second wedding in Ireland also underscores the connection.
Why the Italian assumption?
The “Italian” query may stem from the melodic quality of her name or from a general assumption that dark‑haired presenters with names ending in vowels are Italian. There is no evidence to support an Italian background.
The catch: The question arises often enough to warrant a clear correction, but it’s a harmless misconception. Costello’s Irish roots are documented and undisputed.
How much is Ellie Costello worth?
- No official net worth – none of Costello’s professional profiles disclose financial data (Becca Barr Management)
- Speculative estimates – online guesses range from £100,000 to £500,000, but they are unverified
Unlike many broadcasters, Costello does not publicise her earnings or assets. Her management page and LinkedIn contain no salary information. Any figure you see on third‑party sites is speculative, often based on industry averages for breakfast‑show anchors.
No confirmed net worth figures
The only way to estimate would be to extrapolate from typical GB News anchor salaries, but those are not public. Costello’s agent has not provided any financial details.
Speculative estimates
Fan sites and net‑worth aggregators occasionally publish numbers, but none cite a verifiable source. Because Costello herself has never addressed the topic, these figures are best ignored.
The trade‑off: Constantly searching for Costello’s net worth leads to unreliable data. For now, the honest answer is that no one outside her financial circle knows.
What is Ellie Costello’s Instagram presence?
- Handle: @elliecostellotv (Instagram)
- Content: behind‑the‑scenes of GB News, her dog, and occasional personal updates (Instagram)
- Followers: moderate but growing (exact count not publicly tracked)
Costello uses Instagram as a professional supplement to her TV role. She shares clips from the show, promotes guests, and posts about her dog. The feed is curated but approachable.
Her Instagram account details
The account @elliecostellotv is verified by Instagram. She joined the platform before her GB News role resumed, and the bio links to her management page.
Content and followers
Costello posts roughly 2–3 times per week. Engagement is healthy, with comments often referencing her on‑air work. She does not share intimate personal details, maintaining the boundary between broadcaster and private citizen.
What this means: For fans wanting a casual glimpse of Costello’s life, Instagram is the best window—but don’t expect family‑album depth. She uses the platform to extend her television presence, not to go off‑script.
Timeline: Key dates in Ellie Costello’s career and personal life
- 2016 – Graduated from University of Southampton; began Masters in Broadcast Journalism at City (Instagram)
- August 2017 – Started as Broadcast Journalist, BBC News (LinkedIn)
- October 2018 – Became Radio Reporter, BBC News (LinkedIn)
- September 2019 – Television News Reporter, BBC News (LinkedIn)
- 2020 – Named BBC “Rising Star” (Becca Barr Management)
- May 2021 – Left BBC News (LinkedIn)
- October 2022 – Joined GB News as National Correspondent (LinkedIn)
- June 2023 – Became News Anchor at GB News (LinkedIn)
- January 2025 – Promoted to Breakfast Anchor (LinkedIn)
- July 2025 – Second wedding ceremony in Ireland (Express)
The signal: Costello’s career moves are steady and deliberate—from BBC to GB News, from reporter to breakfast anchor. The timeline leaves little room for gaps, and each promotion is documented by either her LinkedIn or management profile.
The July 2025 wedding is the only major personal milestone with a date attached. It matches Costello’s known Irish heritage and reinforces that her private timeline is almost entirely off‑the‑record.
What’s clear and what’s not
Confirmed facts
- Married to Gerard Durkan
- Employed as GB News Breakfast Anchor
- Former BBC News journalist (2017–2021)
- Won TRIC Award for Breakfast Show
- Instagram handle @elliecostellotv
- Studied at City, University of London (Masters) and Southampton (BA)
- Named BBC Rising Star in 2020
- Covered Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral and King Charles III’s coronation
What’s unclear
- Exact date of birth and age
- Net worth
- Height
- Full details of the reported stalking case
- First wedding date
- First wedding location
- Gerard Durkan’s occupation
- Relationship length
The balance: With low research confidence, the “unclear” side outweighs “confirmed” on personal matters, but the career record is solidly documented by tier‑1 and tier‑2 sources.
Quotes on Ellie Costello
Ellie is an experienced anchor and news journalist.
Broadcaster Ellie Costello has wed her longtime love Gerard Durkan for a second time.
She has anchored Trooping the Colour, D‑Day 80 from Normandy, King Charles III’s coronation, and the US election 2024.
These quotes, from three distinct sources, capture Costello’s professional reputation and the one major personal event that has been publicly reported.
evoke.ie, express.co.uk, imdb.com, helpareporter.com, facebook.com, imdb.com, thesun.co.uk, instagram.com, lepointfocus.net
For more background on the presenter’s early life and career trajectory, check out this detailed Ellie Costello biography on NewsPrism that covers her time at BBC and GB News.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ellie Costello’s educational background?
She earned a BA in English Literature from the University of Southampton and a Masters in Broadcast Journalism from City, University of London (Express).
What is the name of Ellie Costello’s dog?
Her dog’s name has not been publicly shared. She posts about “the dog” on Instagram but does not use a name in captions (Instagram).
How long has Ellie Costello been at GB News?
She joined GB News in October 2022 as National Correspondent and was promoted to Breakfast Anchor in January 2025 (LinkedIn).
What awards has Ellie Costello won?
She was part of the team that won the TRIC Award for Breakfast Show. Individually, she was named a BBC “Rising Star” in 2020 (Becca Barr Management).
What is Ellie Costello’s nationality?
She is British with Irish heritage. She has not publicly stated whether she holds dual citizenship (Express).
How did Ellie Costello start her career?
After her Masters (2017), she joined BBC News as a Broadcast Journalist, later moving to radio and television reporting (LinkedIn).
Does Ellie Costello have a Wikipedia page?
No. As of 2025, there is no Wikipedia article dedicated to her, which limits easily accessible biographical information.
Who is Leo Jones in relation to Ellie Costello?
Leo Jones is not a figure connected to her public biography. Any references likely stem from confusion with another person or an unverified rumour.
Related reading: For more UK presenter profiles, see Emma Paton: Sky Sports Darts Presenter & Career and Jenny Powell: Age, Surgery, and Health Advocacy.
Ellie Costello’s story is one of deliberate career building: BBC training, major event coverage, a smooth move to GB News, and a promotion to breakfast anchor. The personal side remains mostly off‑camera, and that is unlikely to change soon. For viewers who value a journalist’s professional track record rather than tabloid fodder, Costello’s resume speaks clearly. For those hunting for net‑worth figures or wedding dates, the honest answer is that the broadcaster has chosen to keep those pages closed.