ABOUT: ONE: How did an ordinary Preston lad get on the radio?

I always seem to be waffling on about what I'm up to at work, and I will continue to bore you, but I thought it would be good to take you back to the start, and where my interest in media began....


I'm 28 and from Preston. I've lived in Preston most of my life. Now I work for BBC Radio Manchester reading and writing the news, producing award winning programmes. Previous to that I worked for BBC Radio Leeds, and home town station, Rock FM / Magic 999 (Red Rose Radio)

Just how did an ordinary Preston lad get on the radio, writing and reading the news?

I come from a family firmly based in Preston and its surrounding areas of Higher Walton. Both sides of my family tree have roots in the Lancashire cotton industry with both my respective grandmothers working in mills, as did their parents and relatives before them. Outside the cotton world, the other career choice for my family is the aeroplane industry with my Grandfather, Dad, Mum and Uncle all working for British Aerospace, initially at the old Strand Road site before being transferred to Samlesbury after the Preston site closure.

With that background, you would have thought I would have been destined to work in that industry, in fact I nearly did, being interviewed for the role of `sweeper-upper` at BAe for a summer job one year, but other events derailed that career move. Phew!

I had always been interested in television, and was fascinated not by the programmes, but by how they were made and broadcast. It started with TV-am, the old breakfast broadcaster that lost its franchise to the current GMTV.

I was never allowed to put the TV on before school, with my mum insisting there was nothing on, but one day I did. I discovered Roland Rat, Wacaday and other silly children's shows, but crucially I was intrigued by the news and information content. It was different from other, boring and dull news programmes that I'd seen. Compared to the BBC, where my family always watched the Six O'clock News, TV-am was relaxed, bright, chatty; the on-screen set with its sofas and tables was an extension of my living room.

Much to my mums disgust I watched every morning, I felt the presenters were talking to me personally, I felt included, even if sometimes I didn't understand the topic. One day I wrote to TV-am, not expecting a reply, asking how it all worked. To my surprise I was sent an information pack and behind the scenes video. Now my interest in the media was really sparked.

I started to video tape local TV news shows, `Granada Tonight` and `BBC North West Tonight` - looking for clues into how the shows were made, watching the techniques of the presenters and reporters. I used to love hanging around the Harris Library and law courts in Preston when there was a big trial on or if the snooker was being broadcast live from the Guild Hall. The television companies would come to my town of Preston, I'd go and look at the satellite broadcast trucks and try and spot the reporters going about their job. I'd read the Lancashire Evening Post, particularly Brian Ellis, so I could pretend to school friends I knew lots about football and I'd listen to news bulletins on Red Rose Radio.

By now, aged around 13/14 I'd decided that I wanted to work in the media. But how to get started? My parents and grandparents had a skilled factory/carpentry background. I was going to have to work hard to make a move into an competitive industry with limited opportunities close to where I live.

- Next - Hospital Radio Chorley, tour of Red Rose Radio and work experience at the Lancashire Evening Post.

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** incidentally, all my views expressed here are entirely personal, and no way reflect the position of my current employer, BBC Radio Manchester, and the wider BBC.