Mark Richard Erskine Easton was born on 12 March 1959 in Bearsden, near Glasgow.
[citation needed] Easton joined his local newspaper, the Southern Evening Echo, in 1979 having decided upon a career in journalism after winning a game of Waddington's "Scoop" aged 13.
In 1996, Easton joined the newly launched Channel Five as Political Editor for Five News.
Easton then moved in 1998 to Channel 4 News as Home and Social Affairs Editor.
Since 2004 Easton has been the Home Editor of BBC News reporting across the Corporation's range of platforms.