What is your Story?
How long have you got?
The short version is, I grew up in Nuneaton, where I discovered pretty early on that the thing I did best was writing, in one form or another. I ended up going to study English with Creative Writing in Falmouth, Cornwall for my Bachelor’s Degree, and spent three glorious years living by the beach and living a ridiculous student lifestyle (trust me, I’ve got stories for days, and not just the ones I wrote).
Then, the bubble burst, and I moved back to Nuneaton where I started studying for my Master’s Degree in Global Journalism at Coventry University. Around 2018, after being recommended by one of my colleagues, I also started volunteering for Radio Plus – I found that it was the perfect excuse to practice and hone my production and interviewing techniques.
For a good while, I did the Drivetime Show every weekday from 16:00 to 19:00, which (although maybe a little exhausting) was great fun. I also had the opportunity to start planning and co-ordinating our presence at events like MotoFest and Godiva Festival – also a lot of fun. A few years later, and here I am, still going – a lot has changed since I first started with Radio Plus (not least Radio Plus, which has gone through a total overhaul), but I’m still happy to be here, plugging away every Saturday morning, come rain, shine, or global pandemic.
What Genre of Music do you love to listen to?
More-or-less everything, as long as it’s good.
I have particular soft spots for Dream Pop, Deep House, Drum & Bass, Grime, and Melodic Death Metal (not that I ever get much chance to play those last two on a Saturday morning!)
What do you enjoy most about working in Radio?
Back in the days when I was still commuting into the station, my favourite thing about working in radio was meeting people – you never quite knew who would be passing through the station for an interview, or who just got a new show, or who just started… all kinds of interesting people. Change is life, and any kind of media work is all about constant change. I still love having a role at the station and being able to just produce something a little creative at the end of every week, even if I don’t get as much time as I used to. It’s a little outlet for creativity.
What makes you proud to be a Coventrian?
I’ve spent a lot of time in the city, though – I worked for a mental health Trust in Coventry for about 5 years, and before that I did my Masters in Journalism at Coventry University. There’s a big sense of community in the city, which isn’t something I’ve noticed while working in other places like London. When something happens, it happens everywhere at once, if that makes sense – a butterfly flaps its wings in Stivichall, and everyone in Holbrooks knows by the end of the day. It makes for a great atmosphere.