Gloria Hunniford was born on 10 April 1940 in Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Her father was a station master, and she grew up in a working-class family with strong community ties.

She began her career in the 1960s as a singer, performing on television and radio in Northern Ireland before transitioning into broadcasting. She joined the BBC in Belfast, where she became a presenter and producer.

Hunniford later moved to national television, hosting a variety of programmes including Open House and Sunday, Sunday. She became widely recognised for her work in entertainment and factual programming.

In 2009, she became a co-presenter of Rip Off Britain on BBC One, helping expose scams and consumer issues. She is also well known as a long-standing panellist on Loose Women.

She continues to work in television while also supporting cancer charities, inspired by the loss of her daughter.