UK PM appoints Dorries as culture and sport minister - Reuters

Britain's Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries walks outside Downing Street in London, Britain, September 15, 2021. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

LONDON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Nadine Dorries, a successful author and one-time reality TV star, was named on Wednesday as Britain's new media and sport minister, a broad and politically-sensitive role overseeing culture, premier league football and tech deals.

Dorries is a prolific author who has produced a number of books including a fictional trilogy that tells the stories of several families living in the English city of Liverpool, where she grew up.

The most contentious issues at the department for digital, culture, media and sport include the future of the BBC, whether Channel 4 should be privatised, and whether British chip designer ARM should be acquired by Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O) in a $40 billion deal.

Britain's competition regulator has already said the purchase from Japan's Softbank could damage competition and weaken rivals, and requires a further lengthy investigation.

Her predecessor Oliver Dowden had been due to say whether the politically sensitive deal would also have an impact on national security. read more

Dorries, a former nurse, became a lawmaker in 2005 and previously worked as a junior health minister. She has in recent years been willing to wade into the so-called culture wars in Britain, attacking "left-wing snowflakes" who she thinks are making the world a culturally poorer place.

In 2012, she appeared on the reality TV show "I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here", but she was the first contestant to be voted off the show.

Dorries was suspended from the Conservative Party before the reality event went on air after she was accused of flying to Australia to take part in the show without seeking permission from her party.

Reporting by Andrew MacAskill and Kate Holton

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