Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Maxine’s career began over 40 years ago first in newspapers and then in broadcasting at BBC Northern Ireland before moving to Ulster Television and ITN in London.

When Sky News began in 1988 she was appointed Ireland Correspondent returning to Northern Ireland during a turbulent period in The Troubles. She reported on the violence of bombings and shootings as well as political and economic progress north and south of the Irish border.

In 1990 she moved to Tokyo as the Asian News Editor for Reuters TV covering the assassination of Rajiv Ghandi, elections in India, Pakistan and Malaysia and the first Asian Games in China among many other major stories. She also reported from the Falkland Islands
In October 1992 she became Washington Correspondent for the British breakfast television station GMTV when it launched and reported from the United States for four years including coverage of the Waco siege, the Oklahoma Bomb, OJ Simpson and the Clinton Presidency.
On returning to the BBC in London in 1996 she worked for Radio 4 and became an anchor on BBC World TV where she presented single handedly throughout the night when Princess Diana died. This was broadcast live across the world.

She then moved to the BBC News Channel when it launched and as one of the main anchors. She also anchored the BBC One national news bulletins, BBC Breakfast and Dateline London, a live current affairs discussion programme.
Maxine has received several awards for her work – two from the American Committee for Excellence in Journalism and one from Lincoln University School of Journalism, USA, for foreign coverage of American affairs.