Jemima Khan - Biography

Jemima Khan is a writer and TV producer of hits including What's Love Got to Do with It? and the founder of production company Instinct Productions

Jemima Goldsmith's upbringing

Jemima Marcelle Goldsmith was born in London on 30 January 1974, to tycoon Sir James Goldsmith and Lady Annabel Vane Tempest Stewart. The TV writer, producer and former journalist has two younger brothers, politician Zac Goldsmith and financier Ben Goldsmith, and eight half siblings. 

As a child, Jemima was an excellent equestrian, and many thought she had the talent to become a professional showjumper. However, the Chelsea-born star chose to follow an academic route, heading to Bristol University to study English. 

Jemima and Imran Khan's relationship

Jemima's studies in Bristol finished prematurely in 1995, after she met and then married Imran Khan. The two married in Paris, with a civil ceremony at Richmond Registry Office the following month. The celebration was attended by the cream of London society. In place of wedding presents, Jemima asked guests for donations to the cancer hospital in Lahore, named after her husband's late mother.

Jemima and the dashing Oxford-educated past cricketer and former Prime Minister of Pakistan set up home in Pakistan and welcomed two children, Suleiman and Qasim. In 2002, Jemima finished her undergraduate degree, and then a year later the writer and producer went on to achieve a masters in Middle Eastern Studies from SOAS. 

Jemima and Imran eventually announced their divorce in 2004. Although the screenwriter has returned to her birth name Goldsmith, for work purposes she is still known as Jemima Khan on the public stage.

Other personal life

Jemima was a close friend of Princess Diana, who visited her in Lahore in 1996, as she was actively involved in her former spouse’s politics. She had a brief spell with Hugh Grant from 2004 to 2007 but they split amicably, just as she did with Russell Brand in 2013 after they dated for a year. 

Journalism career

After her divorce from Imran, Jemima turned her hand to journalism and has since written for many publications including the , and . She also voluntarily worked for UNICEF as an ambassador for the charity.

In 2008, Jemima was granted an exclusive interview with former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on the eve of election day for , where she was at that time associate editor. In the same year, she became a feature writer and contributing editor for , reprising her role until 2011. She became associate editor of the New Statesman in 2011.

Production company

Alongside her editorial writing, Jemima is also a screenwriter and producer, and founded her own TV and film production company, Instinct Productions, in 2015. Her debut screenplay ?, a romantic comedy starring Lily James, Shazad Latif and Emma Thompson, hit cinemas on 24 February 2023.

The renaissance woman produced the Emmy and Golden Globe nominated drama series , and executive produced the Emmy-nominated docuseries She was also behind the award-winning docuseries and the BAFTA-nominated film . Jemima was also an executive producer on the 2023 Oscar-shortlisted short film

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