I started my career like most good journalists, down the pub. Training to be a dancer at 18 I soon discovered that working part- time in my local was much more fun. It wasn’t just the free flowing booze (although that certainly helped) the fact was, I enjoyed the company. Listening to the various characters who frequented the bar made me realise that people are fascinating and everyone has a story to tell.
After University where I became Arts Editor of the fab student radio station, W963, I then completed a post graduate diploma in broadcast journalism at the London College of Printing (LCP). I worked as a news reporter for Piccadilly Radio in Manchester and then BRMB in Birmingham, then moved to the rival BBC Radio WM and, after a spell in regional television, was given the role of bi-media manager, liaising between radio and television.
When BBC News 24 was set up, I moved to London and was appointed Senior Broadcast Journalist responsible for a high profile rolling news service. After having my first child I went part-time, following my second, I took redundancy from the BBC and after number three became a fully fledged freelancer, writing newspaper and magazine features.
Pre Covid, (before the news company was severely reduced) I was, for many years, the (freelance) editor of two local digital news websites in Ealing and Acton – Ealing Today and ActonW3, covering many important news stories on the patch.
Music, particularly live, is one of my major interests and, when I’m not dancing at local gigs, I can often be found bashing on my drums (mostly air drums these days!!) with the optimistic belief that one day I will get to perform again.
I love theatre and film, and as part of my MA in screenwriting with the esteemed Raindance Film Festival, was able to fulfil a longstanding ambition – to write my first ever feature film script.
This experience led (in 2019) to Co-Founding the Ealing Film Festival which was initially launched online during lockdown and, at that stage when there were NO cinemas in Ealing. It has now grown from strength to strength and is a great asset for the borough. Every year we screen many excellent short films at our fab local cinemas and provide a great platform for future filmmakers.
Sadly, the freelance market is now very precarious and I am generally available for work, so please do get in touch if you (or you know of anyone) might have anything suitable.
