{{Short description|Scottish nutritionist and broadcaster (born 1974)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}} {{Use British English|date=August 2013}} {{Infobox person |image = |name = Amanda Hamilton |birthname = |birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1974}} |birth_place = Edinburgh, Scotland |education = Edinburgh Napier University |occupation = Nutritionist, broadcaster | years_active = 2011-present |known_for = Co-presenter of ''Something for the Weekend'' {{small|(2007–2009)}} }} '''Amanda Hamilton''' (born 1974) is a Scottish businesswoman, broadcaster, and writer in the areas of food, health and nutrition.
==Early life== Hamilton was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, to Ann and Ronnie, both physical education teachers. Her father is known for captaining Scotland's volleyball team for over two decades, and for his work as the Scottish Schools' FA President. She has an elder brother, Stewart, who represented Scotland at badminton. Hamilton herself became an international-class badminton player, representing Scotland at under-16 level.<ref name=Badminton>{{cite news|url=http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/style/homes_and_gardens/article106447.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116193446/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/style/homes_and_gardens/article106447.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 January 2014|title=Nutritionist and TV star Amanda Hamilton explains her love of travelling|newspaper=The Sunday Times|accessdate=18 August 2013}}</ref>
She obtained a degree in Marketing and Communications from Edinburgh Napier University. During the course she undertook a one-year exchange scholarship to study in the United States.<ref name=Napier>{{cite news|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/woman/life/amanda-hamilton-food-for-thought-28653988.html|title=Broadcaster and Nutritionist Amanda Hamilton looks back at her student days|newspaper=Belfast Telegraph|accessdate=29 December 2012}}</ref>
Upon graduation, she became a news reporter for a local television station in Colorado.<ref name=Napier /> A fluent Spanish language speaker, she also spent a year in Mexico as a journalist, before returning to her native UK where she undertook a professional qualification in Nutrition.<ref name=Napier /> She then moved to the Himalayas, studying Ayurvedic medicine with a local doctor, and yoga.
==Journalist and broadcasting career== Between 2005 and 2011 Hamilton co-produced and presented five series of ''The Spa of Embarrassing Illnesses'' for UKTV Style.<ref name=TSOEI>{{cite web|url=http://www.terntv.co.uk/media-centre/programme.aspx?mediaID=1284 |title=The Spa of Embarrassing Illnesses |publisher=TernTV |accessdate=18 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723061511/http://www.terntv.co.uk/media-centre/programme.aspx?mediaID=1284 |archivedate=23 July 2012 }}</ref> In each series a group of people were gathered together at an exotic spa location where they were helped to conquer embarrassing and intimate health conditions. One series was also shown on BBC Scotland. Hamilton went on to present two spin-off series, ''Spa of Weight Loss for Life'' and ''Teen Spa of Embarrassing Illnesses''. The series rights were later bought by US production company 44 Blue.
Hamilton's first real break as a broadcaster came in the UK when she appeared as a nutritionist on the BBC program ''Should I Worry About...?'' in 2006, which was presented by ''Top Gear'' and ''Total Wipeout'' front-man Richard Hammond.<ref name=SIWA>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/shouldiworryabout/additives.shtml|title=Should I Worry About...?|publisher=BBC|accessdate=18 August 2013}}</ref> In 2007 she appeared as the nutritional expert alongside Professor Ian Philp in the BBC series ''How to Live Longer'' in which she and Philp tried to help six volunteers adopt healthier lifestyles.<ref name=HTLL>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006zyc8|title=How to Live Longer|publisher=BBC|accessdate=18 August 2013}}</ref>
In 2009 Hamilton appeared as the nutritional expert in the first series of TernTV's ''The Last Resort'' in which six volunteers suffering from addictive behaviours were helped to put their addictions behind them in just nine days.<ref name=TLR>{{cite web|url=http://www.terntv.co.uk/media-centre/programme.aspx?mediaID=1876 |title=The Last Resort |publisher=TernTV |accessdate=18 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723061442/http://www.terntv.co.uk/media-centre/programme.aspx?mediaID=1876 |archivedate=23 July 2012 }}</ref> The series was broadcast on BBC Northern Ireland.
In 2011 Hamilton co-presented six episodes of ''Slim Chance: Fix My Family'' for BBC Northern Ireland.<ref name=SCFMF>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b014gk49|title=Slim Chance: Fix My Family|publisher=BBC|accessdate=18 August 2013}}</ref> Three families were given nutritional guidance in helping them approach life in a healthier fashion. There came a follow-up programme a year later.
After becoming a nutrition expert on GMTV, Hamilton co-presented the programme series ''Inch Loss Island'', ''Bikini Diet'', and ''Little Black Dress''.<ref name=GMTV>{{cite web|title=Amanda Hamilton on GMTV Little Black Dress Diet|url=http://vimeo.com/10046635|publisher=GMTV|accessdate=29 December 2011}}</ref>
In November 2010 Hamilton was a guest co-presenter on STV's daily lifestyle show ''The Hour''.<ref name=TH>{{cite web|title=Amanda Hamilton and Grant Stott to present STV's ""The Hour" |url=http://programmes.stv.tv/the-hour/showbiz/celebs-on-the-sofa/229349-amanda-hamilton-and-grant-stott-to-present-stvs-the-hour/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718014622/http://programmes.stv.tv/the-hour/showbiz/celebs-on-the-sofa/229349-amanda-hamilton-and-grant-stott-to-present-stvs-the-hour/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 July 2012 |publisher=BBC |accessdate=29 December 2011 }}</ref> In January 2011, she presented 28 episodes of STV's ''New Year, New You'' series.<ref name=NYNY>{{cite web|title=Amanda Hamilton presents STV's ''New Year, New You'' series. |url=http://programmes.stv.tv/new-year-new-you/ |publisher=STV |accessdate=29 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111229125355/http://programmes.stv.tv/new-year-new-you/ |archivedate=29 December 2011 }}</ref> She is currently one of the presenters on the ''Landward'' series on BBC1 Scotland, focusing on health and nutrition.<ref name=L>{{cite web|title=Landward: Green burials|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00g825d|publisher=BBC|accessdate=29 December 2011}}</ref>
In 2013 Hamilton acted as the guinea pig in a documentary for ITV's ''Tonight'' programme called ''Food Facts and Figures, the Great British Diet'' in which for one week she replaced her usual diet with one eaten by a typical British woman, and gained five pounds as a result.<ref name=Fff>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/news/2013-08-16/tonight-food-facts-and-fiction-part-4-the-great-british-diet/|title=Nutritionist Amanda Hamilton tries The Great British Diet for a week|publisher=ITV.com|accessdate=18 August 2013}}</ref>
==Nutritionist== {{BLP unreferenced section|date=August 2023}} Alongside her career as a television presenter, Hamilton founded Amanda Hamilton Ltd in 2007, which organises and licenses health and weight-loss retreats in the United Kingdom.
Hamilton was an ambassador in 2008 for the Scottish Executive's Active Nation programme, and in the same year was the face of Cancer Research UK's Great British Breakfast campaign. She was an adviser on the Scottish Government's curriculum for excellence panel on Food & Health. She also writes columns for several health magazines and newspaper supplements.
Hamilton is a member of the British Association of Nutritional Therapists, and a member of The Guild of Health Writers. She is currently studying for an MSc in Obesity Science at Robert Gordon University.
== Books == * Hamilton, Amanda. ''LifeDetox''. Piatkus, 2007. {{ISBN|0-749-92796-8}} * Hamilton, Amanda. ''Life-Changing Weight Loss''. Piatkus, 2008. {{ISBN|0-749-92837-9}} * Hamilton, Amanda. ''Eat, Fast, Slim''. Watkins Publishing, 2013. {{ISBN|1-848-99103-7}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20130902070133/http://www.amandahamilton.co.uk/ Amanda Hamilton]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Amanda}} Category:1974 births Category:British nutritionists Category:Scottish journalists Category:Scottish women journalists Category:Scottish broadcasters Category:Living people Category:Businesspeople from Edinburgh Category:People from North Berwick Category:Television personalities from Edinburgh