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John Swinney's Wife Resigns From BBC Amid 'Excruciating Pain' From Illness

Quigley said trigeminal neuralgia and progressive multiple sclerosis have made it too hard to continue at the broadcaster, despite years of reporting on the condition.

  • On Friday, BBC Scotland journalist Elizabeth Quigley announced her resignation from the corporation on health grounds, citing the painful condition trigeminal neuralgia as her reason for leaving.
  • Quigley has lived with multiple sclerosis for 26 years after being diagnosed at age 28. Recently, trigeminal neuralgia caused 'excruciating pain like an electric shock' that compromised her ability to speak on air.
  • A trailblazer who became the BBC's first female political correspondent in the Scottish Parliament, Quigley has been married to First Minister John Swinney since 2003. She openly used mobility aids while supporting her husband's career.
  • BBC Scotland head of news Howard Simpson paid tribute to Quigley's 'fortitude throughout,' praising her 'resolve and willingness to keep going.' Colleagues will miss her 'warmth, humour, and positivity,' Simpson said.
  • Throughout her tenure, Quigley produced documentaries highlighting Scotland's high rates of multiple sclerosis. She noted 'finding a cure' would be 'a very good ending to my story,' though treatment advances have not yet delivered one.
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John Swinney’s BBC journalist wife Elizabeth Quigley resigns on health grounds

She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2000 aged just 28.

·London, United Kingdom
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BBC News broke the news in London, United Kingdom on Friday, August 28, 2026.
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