Mariella Frostrup (born 12 November 1962; Oslo, Norway) is a UK-based journalist and television presenter, well known on British TV and radio, mainly for arts programmes. Her 'gravelly' voice was once voted the sexiest female voice on TV, and research found that Frostrup's voice was one of three voices (narrowed from fifty) best suited to contribute to a Post Office Telecoms study resulting in a "perfect female voice". Her voice is often used on TV commercials as well.
Frostrup was born in Oslo, Norway, but moved with her family when she was six to Ireland in 1969, living in Kilmacanogue, a small village near the town of Greystones in County Wicklow. Her Norwegian father, an alcoholic who died aged 44 when she was 15, was a journalist on The Irish Times, and her Scottish mother an artist.
After the death of her father, in 1979 she moved to London. There, she worked as a public relations executive for Phonogram Records between 1980 and 1990; coordinated the publicity for the Live Aid concert at Wembley in 1985; and, after leaving Phonogram, started television work as a presenter and film critic.
Frostrup presented the Channel 4 music show Big World Cafe in 1989 alongside Eagle Eye Cherry and Jazzie B.
She also presented Thames Television's Video View from 1990 and, after Thames lost the London ITV franchise, reprised the role straight afterwards on The Little Picture Show for Carlton Television from 1993.