In a sentence: tell us what you do at News UK?

I’m the new – and founding – political editor at TalkTV.

Lay a bit more detail on that – what’s a typical day?

I’ll mainly be working on Tom Newton Dunn’s 7pm show The News Desk, which will mean a full day of gathering stories in Westminster and then hot-footing it to the studio in London Bridge.

We’ve got a great team of people and everyone is really excited – nervous but raring to go. We’ve also been working really closely with our colleagues on The Times and The Sun who will be at the heart of what we do. The core of the 7pm show will be our journalism, that’s the most important thing to all of us and the reason we all signed up.

What’s the most interesting part of your job?

Political journalism is an excuse to talk to lots of really interesting people about things nobody else knows and get paid for it – I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.

How are you gearing up to the launch of TalkTV?

Sleepless nights! Everyone is working really hard. I’ve never worked at a start-up before and this one is a little different because we have the weight of News UK behind us, but there is still so much to do. Everything is being built from scratch so there’s a lot of chopping and changing to get it right but it’s a great opportunity to stop and ask why we’ve been doing TV the way we have and what we might want to change. We’re really excited about what we’ve come up with.

What can we expect from The News Desk?

For the 7pm show we’ll be bringing people the news and analysis you’d expect but we’ll do it a little differently. We’ll be diving a bit deeper into the main story of the day with me and our team of correspondents and we’ll be trying to take a longer-term view too, where we can. We also have some top interviews planned and a panel of familiar and new faces to shake things up a bit at the end of the show. It’s straight news but with a bit more personality – something we hope people will really warm to.

Who is your dream guest?

Right now, President Putin. Is there anyone in the world who wouldn’t want an hour with him to try and work out what his motivations and intentions are?

Without blushing – tell us what makes you passionate and purposeful in doing what you do?

Journalism doesn’t feel like a job for me. Yes there are boring bits sometimes, but at the heart of it I’m here to work out what’s going on and make sure other people know about it too. It’s a real responsibility to be the person distilling politics for our audience, I take that seriously but I hope I do it in a way that makes sense without waffle or bias. That’s what keeps me on my toes.

Last book, film, series, and music you consumed?

The last book I read was Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers (brilliant), last film was Save The Last Dance (it was a Sunday afternoon… ), series was Bridgerton and music could be pretty much anything – I think the last song I listened to was Raspberry Beret by Prince.

Last holiday destination? And why?

I can’t remember the last time I went abroad – thanks Covid – but I do spend a lot of time in the Yorkshire Dales where my family live and I love it.

What was the last gift you gave to someone – and why?

The last gift I bought was for a friend who was leaving work. It was a bottle of Prosecco to toast his departure.

What are the biggest challenges you have faced in your role?

There are lots of challenges when it comes to doing something for the first time, for us it’s getting people as excited as we are about the new channel and keeping them with us as we get started. As a political journalist there have been some difficult moments, most of them when I first started out and was trying to be taken seriously in a world which wasn’t then and still isn’t always now forgiving or open to women. Lots has changed, but there is still more to do.

Who inspires you the most?

Journalists like Carolyn Quinn, Sophy Ridge and John Pienaar inspire me – people who are utterly brilliant at what they do but are still kind and generous with their time and who never make you feel stupid for asking a question. I love knowing there are people at the top of their game who are completely themselves, that’s something special. Beyond work it would be women like my sister and my closest friend who are bringing up children, working and keeping everything together while somehow still finding the time to remember when things happen in their friend’s lives. I don’t know how they do it.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

Don’t try to be someone you’re not. The skill of being a really good journalist is getting people to trust you and talk openly to you. That can sometimes take a long time, especially in politics, but it’ll happen much faster if people feel you’re being honest with them.

Ask lots of questions but don’t ignore the answers – especially when they’re critical of your own work or your ideas. And listen to that little voice when something isn’t right or doesn’t quite fit – it is almost always right.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

The piece of advice I WISH I had been given was ‘don’t pluck your eyebrows into a very thin line because they won’t ever grow back the same so you’ll be stuck when bushy is back’.

The best piece of advice I was actually given is more of a mantra – ‘dare to be different’ – my Grandma’s phrase taken up and often repeated by my Mum. I wish I’d had the confidence to listen to it when I was a bit younger but now I can see that having different ideas or questioning why we do something is one of the best tools I have as a journalist.

The post Kate McCann appeared first on News UK.

I make radio programmes.

Lay a bit of context on that.

I work with a group of brilliant presenters and producers on Times Radio making Early Breakfast, Breakfast and the Matt Chorley programme. We keep Times Radio going from 0500 to 1300 Monday to Thursday.

What attracted you to the role in the first place?

I’m a radio producer who loves The Times. When I saw the words Times Radio, I knew instantly it was where I wanted to work.

What’s the most interesting/challenging part of your job?

Getting my head around all the stories each day is both exciting and occasionally bewildering.

What are the three most important things on your working agenda today?

The skill of making a breakfast programme is trying to work out what is going to be the news tomorrow when nothing has happened yet.

Who is your role model? And why?

George Dent, the fictitious TV news editor in Drop The Dead Donkey. He may have looked ineffectual, but he always got the news out and he was never an arse.

What is your most treasured possession?

My spotify playlist.

Who would play you in the film of your life?

Naveen Andrews in his Buddha of Surburbia days.

Last holiday destination? And why?

Cornwall. My family and I go every February. Seems like a million years ago.

You’ve won ten million on the Lottery – what do you do?

Don’t tell anyone that I’ve won, but buy a lot of drinks.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

In Radio, you have to be there on time.

What one bit of advice would you give someone wanting to do your job?

Radio is a team game. No-one does it on their own.

Tell us something not many people know about you…?

I won ten million on the Lottery!

As the working day comes to a close, who would be your three Fantasy Dinner Party guests? And why?

Stig Abell, Aasmah Mir, Matt Chorley and Calum Macdonald (I know that is four, but I couldn’t leave one of my presenters out could I?).

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We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the working day: so what was on the menu this morning?

I can’t start my day without my latte from Leon which I pick up at London Bridge station on my way in (monthly £15 subscription means I’m quids in!) Then I have some granola at my desk while reading the Sun! Rituals are important!

Sum up what you do at News UK in the shortest sentence possible.

Head of casting, TV Broadcasting.

Lay a bit of context on that?

 I’m responsible for finding talent both in front of and behind the camera. You can’t make decent TV shows if you don’t have brilliant people producing them. As a journalist with more than 25 years experience, I’ve also got a great eye for a story and know how to turn that into brilliant eye catching TV.

 What attracted you to the role in the first place?

 I was looking for a move back into TV after leaving ITV’s This Morning to become editor of OK! magazine. The creative vision for a new TV network hugely appealed and I felt this was too good an opportunity to miss. With engaging content, intelligent debate, and thought provoking discussion, talkTV is going to be what everyone is talking about. That and Piers Morgan of course!

 What’s the most interesting/challenging part of your job?

 Constantly creating innovative and original content and leading a competitive team to thrive on always wanting to be the best. Setting the topical agenda by making unmissable TV.

What are the two most important things on your working agenda today?

Recruiting an experienced team to produce the Piers Morgan show on talkTV and meeting with HarperCollins CEO Charlie Redmayne to discuss ways in which we can work together with guest booking when our shows launch next year.

Why should people come and work for News UK Broadcasting? 

It’s forward thinking. It’s brave. News UK was a publishing company that has integrated national radio and podcasting with huge success. It’s a world class news gathering operation. And now it’s getting into TV. We will be setting the agenda when talkTV launches, and that’s going to be very exciting to be a part of.

Last book, film, binge watch and sounds you consumed?

Last book….Ruthless Women, written by my friend and celebrity agent to the stars, Melanie Blake. It’s about a failing soap opera and what goes on once the cameras stop rolling. A lot of the characters are based on real people! It does for TV what the Devil Wears Prada did for fashion!

Binge watch….Sex Education on Netflix. Recommended by my teenage son!! I was up ‘til 2.30 am this morning. 

Film – Cinderella on Amazon Prime. With Camilla Cabello and James Corden – two hours of my life I won’t get back!

Sounds – Adele’s song Go Easy on Me.

Who is your role model? And why?

Lois Lane! Yes she’s fictional, but she was my inspiration for becoming a journalist. And I loved the New Adventures of Superman with Terri Hatcher and Dean Cain!

What is your most treasured possession?

Don’t laugh but my Mickey Mouse my parents bought me on my first trip to Disney World when I was 4! I’m now 47! He still sits on my bed even though he’s full of holes and all his stuffing has come out!

Who would play you in the film of your life?

Demi Moore! For some bizarre reason my children think I look like her! Must be the hair! 

Last holiday destination? And why? 

Kos because it was on the amber list and we didn’t have to quarantine when we got home! And it was all inclusive so we could drink as much as we wanted!

You’ve won ten million on the Lottery – what do you do?

Fly all my friends and family out to Barbados first class for a huge party! Then I’d buy a box for my boys at Tottenham Hotspur!

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Only surround yourself with brilliant people – they are the ones that will always make you look good! Also you can’t do wrong for doing right: my mum always tells me that. 

What one bit of advice would you give someone wanting to do your job? 

Work hard. Be passionate and committed. You have to live and breathe it every minute of the day because news isn’t a 9 to 5 job. This is a job with incredible highs and lows, but the good always outweighs the bad. 

Tell us something not many people know about you…? 

I once sent my CV into a tabloid newspaper on toilet paper! Did I get the job? Yes! 

Who would be your three Fantasy Dinner Party guests? And why? 

The Queen because I’m a huge monarchist. Miriam Margolyes because most things that come out her mouth are hilariously vulgar and I should say Piers Morgan because I’m sure he’d ruffle a few feathers at the dinner table. At least the evening would be lively!

The post Charlotte Seligman appeared first on News UK.

I monetise external media platforms and look for new commercial tech/revenue opportunities. 

Lay a bit of context on that?

In addition to overseeing our commercial strategy for publishing platforms outside our owned and operated environments (eg. Apple News, Snapchat, Facebook, etc.), I work closely with stakeholders from across the business to monetise audiences across new media channels including podcasting and video streaming services. I also work with colleagues from Commercial, Tech and Editorial in an effort to innovate our commercial/advertising products in our own sites and apps.

What attracted you to the role in the first place?

The opportunity to work with talented people to shape the future direction of our business and brands.

What’s the most interesting/challenging part of your job?

Launching and monetising new products are both exciting and challenging, particularly when working with big established tech companies that don’t always have publisher interests at heart.

We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the working day, so what was on the menu this morning?

A glass of water mixed with a bit of apple cider vinegar, followed by a cup of green tea. It’s literally the opposite of breakfast as I try to keep the fast going until late morning/early afternoon.

What are the three most important things on your working agenda today?

Last book, film, binge watch and sounds you consumed?

Who is your role model? And why?

My parents, in particular my mother. She’s consistently managed to beat all the odds when they’ve been against her including poverty, racism, sexism, etc. She left her town in the Dominican Republic without much money or support and managed to put herself through university in the big city, eventually immigrating with my father to the US in the late 80s. In those early days, both my parents earned minimum wage working on assembly lines in factories. My mum eventually ended up running the Finance department in one of those companies until she retired. She always made the most of every opportunity and helped others along the way.

What is your most treasured possession?

My iPhone. I know it’s not an original answer but it’s the one thing that instantly connects me to friends and family everywhere regardless of where I am.

Who would play you in the film of your life?

Alfred Enoch.

Last holiday destination? And why?

Puglia, Italy. I love Italy and can’t seem to get enough.

Tell us something not many people know about you…?

Many moons ago, I played Anthony Hopkins’ Egyptian slave in Oliver Stone’s ‘Alexander’.

As the working day comes to a close, who would be your three Fantasy Dinner Party guests? And why?

I’ll say The Queen, Barack Obama and RuPaul. I imagine the conversation and overall entertainment value would be phenomenal.

The post Milton Elias appeared first on News UK.

In this week’s spotlight, we speak to Chris Musson, The Scottish Sun’s Associate Editor (Politics), who was named Journalist of the Year at the 2021 Scottish Press Awards, for his work as Scottish Political Editor. He talks to us about holding power to account, and the importance of listening to those around you.

In a sentence: tell us what you do at News UK?
I oversee The Scottish Sun’s political coverage and write editorials.

Lay a bit more detail on that – what’s a typical day?
It usually starts with the cat pawing my face at 4am. I’ll try to get another couple of hours’ sleep, then the working day kicks off with listening to morning radio shows while gathering a list of stories for conference at noon. I’ll liaise with the editor and her deputy to plan the politics coverage, then, I’ll pull together the articles with the team, doing whatever legwork and interviews are required. We also adapt any relevant politics stories from Harry Cole’s Lobby team for the Scottish audience. I’ll squeeze in some admin, maybe meet a contact or two if possible, and finish the day by writing leaders.

What’s the most interesting part of your job?
Digging up stories that somebody in power doesn’t want published, and giving our audience something that no other outlet is offering.

Without blushing – tell us what makes you passionate and purposeful in doing what you do?
I love holding those in power to account, explaining complex issues to our audience in an informative and entertaining way, sticking up for our readers, and exposing the ruses of governments that try to pull the wool over people’s eyes.

Last book, film, series, and music you consumed?
Book – Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro
Film – Sing 2
Music – Hit Reset, by The Julie Ruin

Last holiday destination? And why?
The south coast of England where my wife’s family is from. It feels like a world away from Scotland – though mainly because of the weather.

You’ve won ten million on the Lottery – what do you do?
Keep it secret, if possible. Pay off my familys mortgages, put a big chunk of money away for my daughter, buy a house by the sea, and set up a charity to help get more kids into grassroots sports. My daughter would ask for every Harry Potter Lego set, but she’s not getting anything else until she picks up the pieces off her bedroom floor.

What was the last gift you gave to someone – and why?
I bought my wife a tennis racket and lessons for her birthday in January. After a few outdoor sessions in Glasgow this winter, I’m not sure she’ll ever pick up a racket again.

What are the biggest challenges you have faced in your role?
Reporting on politics has been frantic in Scotland since before the 2014 independence referendum. But covering the pandemic, from home, with a restless five-year-old – well, she’s now seven – was insane. Due to a turn of events beyond our control, I got married on June 23, 2016 – Brexit referendum day. I assured my wife I would just work overnight and the following day, and then I’d have a week off. Then the Leave vote happened…

Who inspires you the most within and outside of News UK?
I’ve known some incredible journalists in News UK who I’ve learned so much from, writing about politics and beyond. The Scottish Sun’s Chief Features Writer Matt Bendoris never ceases to amaze me with the skill, enthusiasm and care he shows with every spread – after about, erm, 70 years in the job. As for someone outside News UK – my daughter has helped me see the world through fresh eyes, which is always good.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?
Throw yourself into it – but listen carefully to those around you. Don’t be cowed by anyone in power – they’re the ones who should feat you. Never get personal – always remain professional and deal fairly with everyone. Always think about how stories affect your readers, listeners or viewers – if they’re not relevant, is it even a story? And if you don’t know the answer, don’t pretend – just have an idea of where you can find out.

Who is your role model? And why?
My late uncle, Andy Holden, ran in the Olympics and won a load of international marathons. He was like a hero to me when I was a kid, and looking back at his achievements in an era of amateur athletics, it’s all the more amazing. He achieved a unique feat of representing Great Britain in five distance running disciplines: roads, cross-country, fells, and indoors and outdoors on track. He also drank 10 pints of beer the night before winning the Bermuda Marathon in 1979, breaking legend Ron Hill’s course record and beating a world-class field. I’ve never really thought of a “why”, but if he can pull that off while working full-time, as he did, I suppose it shows that if you put in enough effort you can achieve pretty much anything – all while having a good ol’ time.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Never be afraid of asking the ‘stupid’ or ‘obvious’ questions.

The post Chris Musson appeared first on News UK.

We speak to Katy Pagan, Senior Online News Reporter at The Scottish Sun about the importance and benefits of integration, why it’s not old until it’s told, and fortune-telling goats.

In a sentence: tell us what you do at News UK?

I write up Scottish news and real-life stories to deliver the best content for our Scottish Sun Online readers.

Lay a bit more detail on that – what’s a typical day?

I’m responsible for sourcing breaking and exclusive stories for all aspects of the website – news, crime, Fabulous, showbiz and money. You’ll find me scouring social media, speaking to contacts, conducting interviews and putting in God knows how many calls a day to cops for articles before writing them up in our typical Sun style. I see a story through from the initial tip to building the article and writing the most eye-catching headlines for our readers.

What’s the most interesting part of your job?

The people I get to speak to. From the brave to the bonkers (including a fortune-telling goat) and all of the interesting ones in between.

Without blushing – tell us what makes you passionate and purposeful in doing what you do?

Knowing that what I write can make a difference and helping people realise that their stories matter.

Last book, film, series, and music you consumed?

Book – The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Film – The Hating Game

Series – Queen of the South

Music – Gerry Cinnamon

Last holiday destination? And why?

Staycation to Moffat, Dumfriesshire, last year with friends for our belated 30th celebrations (big change from the villa in Portugal cancelled the previous year due to the pandemic, but still amazing)

Abroad – Adeje, Tenerife with partner for some much needed sunshine.

You’ve won ten million on the Lottery – what do you do?

Buy golden retrievers, lots and lots of golden retrievers. And an estate big enough for us all. The Fabulous team can have my first-person STRUCK GOLD excl… Any leftover cash that hasn’t been popped into savings or given to family and friends can fund my designer handbag addiction.

What was the last gift you gave to someone – and why?

A bottle of ‘Nosecco’ and personalised print for my pregnant best friend to celebrate her engagement.

What are the biggest challenges you have faced in your role?

Making the move from print to digital. At the time it was terrifying, as I had to completely change my sense of ‘what is news?’ to suit online readers. But now I can do a five-minute breaking news story with my eyes closed, and TikTok is my best friend for the Fabulous tales. It makes me realise the importance and benefits of integration.

Who inspires you the most within and outside of News UK?

Within News UK it has to be our Scottish Sun editor-in-chief Gill Smith. It’s an exciting time to be working under our first female editor. She inspires me to be the best reporter I can, and makes me eager to progress within the company.

Beyond the workplace, my mum. 5ft 1in of compassion, fierceness and love – she worked herself into the ground for the NHS during the pandemic, and rarely complained (I’d be lying if I said didn’t.)

What advice would you give to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

Make sure you’re constantly reading newspapers and online articles to get a feel for the tone and style of The Sun – and don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and talk to people.

Who is your role model? And why?

Emma Watson. Away from the big screen, her humanitarian work and everything she does for the feminist movement is incredible. She uses her platform to encourage girls to speak their minds and try to make a difference. Growing up, Hermione Granger was my idol so I suppose it’s just transferred. And I’m still a complete Harry Potter nerd…

But throw in a bit of Lizzo as well, because I live for what she does for body positivity.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

It’s not old until it’s told. In digital journalism we’re always aiming to be the first to break big news, and we do it very well. But for some stories, especially Fabulous and Health tales, don’t let the date put you off – if it’s not been covered before and it’s a worthy piece, you can make it work.

The post Kay Pagan appeared first on News UK.

I’m a digital content intern for Virgin Radio. I source images, proofread articles, write social media posts and create social content using industry professional applications like Adobe Creative Cloud. These tools have broadened my media editing skills in both audio and imagery.

What does an average day look like for you?

In the morning, I look at Virgin Radio’s social media followers and produce a list showing the growth. I update the Virgin Radio website with a story on the latest Chris Evans guests. I edit the audio recordings from Chris’ guests and create the imagery for the posts, adding our aesthetic Virgin Radio sauce on them!

Why were you attracted to journalism/broadcasting?

I love to help people and I am passionate about music. As you can imagine, Virgin Radio is a great fit. I am quite competitive and love to learn so I’m always trying to do my best.

What have you learnt so far?

I’ve learnt how to properly manage my time which has made me more efficient in and out of work. The skills I learn every day on the job are invaluable.

There are so many resources for improving skills and learning at News UK which has been good for my development.

Tell us about your highlights on the job.

I was told by my managers when I started, that a lot of people in the company are transparent and easygoing. I took that with a pinch of salt because I thought it was a pep talk to make me feel at ease. I was wrong!

The Virgin Radio team are the kindest group of people who genuinely love what they do, work well as a team and always make time for you to speak about anything you need to know.

In ten years, where do you see yourself?

In the next ten years, I would have made a big impact in the music/media industry – so I’ll come back and give an exclusive interview with Virgin Radio when it happens.

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I work in business analytics, within the strategy arm of the commercial department. In simple terms, my job is to provide anyone in the department with the information they require. We provide support to strategy leaders helping them to make informed decisions on the commercial direction of the business. With the insight of the right information and detailed analysis we can gain an advantage against our competitors.

What does your average day involve?

My average day can vary significantly depending on the immediate concerns. It could be using data analysis to answer a burning question from sales or strategy heads, or it could be working on a longer term strategic project, using data to help focus the current business strategies, gain a better understanding of our clients’ requirements or use our products to best suit our customers.

How  did you get started at News UK? 

I graduated from Nottingham University with a degree in Mathematics and Management. After returning home to Cheltenham and working for a year in management accountancy with an engineering firm, I decided it wasn’t for me and I decided to move to the big city. I was fortunate the recruitment agency I was with secured me an interview here at News UK and my manager in his own words ‘took a punt’ on me!

What has been your biggest achievement this year?

The piece of work I’ve been most proud of is the visual representation of CHUM (Client Health Utility Model). Using a predictive insight tool (from our data science team) the output is presented in a real time dashboard. It enables our sales executives to access a wealth of information, prioritise and formulate a strategy within minutes whereas it might previously have taken them days. This work has now been presented to UK CEO/CFO level and more recently to Lachlan Murdoch in New York. It is likely that this piece of work was a significant reason as to why I won the ‘David Walsh Award’ at our commercial conference; an award for an individual outside of the sales team who may not be the first point of contact for our clients but whose efforts or work indirectly improve our external profile, customer relationships or the way in which we sell to or service our clients.

What’s the biggest challenge in your work?

Whenever there is data there is always an element of data cleansing; turning unusable, unreliable information into data that can be trusted and used to make informed decisions. This can be a long and arduous task which requires patience. Data driven insights based on incorrect data are likely to lead to poor decisions. Therefore these tasks, however challenging, are necessary. Once complete, the trust in information from end users is clearly vastly improved.

The post Chris Courtney-Smith appeared first on News UK.

We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the working day: so what was on the menu this morning?

Scrambled egg on toast with a cup of tea.

Sum up what you do at News UK in the shortest sentence possible.

I  cover sports news and stories for SunSport.

Lay a bit of context on that?

I mostly cover stories to do with the Women’s Super League – also known as the WSL – which is the top division for women’s football in England but I also do stories on women’s football in general and on teams and players in other leagues and international games.

What attracted you to the role in the first place?

The Vikki Orvice Scholarship was just too good an opportunity to miss out on.

I like the fact the scholarship was established in honour of a journalist that has done so much to encourage more women to work in sports journalism.

I enjoy reading The Sun’s real-life features, goals pull-out and some of the paper’s exclusive interviews with sports personalities, in particular footballers.

One of my favourites was ex-Chelsea Nathaniel Chalobah talking to Justin Allen about the benefits of young players from England playing abroad.

I enjoy watching and writing about sports and football in particular. And I was keen to have the chance to work for one of the biggest nationals in the country which produces stories like the interview with Chalobah.

What’s the most interesting/challenging part of your job?

Match reporting and chatting with football managers and players on topical issues or after a dramatic result is a very interesting part of my job.

The most dramatic match I’ve done so far was Chelsea against Barcelona in the first-ever Women’s Champions League final.

One of my favourite interviews was speaking to Brighton manager Hope Powell about why the numbers of black players in the WSL are low in comparison to the Premier League.

The most challenging and interesting thing is finding good exclusives.

What are the three most important things on your working agenda today?

One of the three biggest things for me today is attending and reporting on an interview with the new manager of England’s Women’s team Sarina Wiegman.

Also finishing off a write-up of an interview with a Northern Ireland player who is due to play against the Lionesses in a World Cup qualifier this month.

Another important thing for me today is finishing off my training courses.

Last book, film, binge watch and sounds you consumed?

The last book I read is Brixton Stories by Biyi Bandele Thomas.

The last film I watched is Suicide Squad.

The TV series I recently binged is Grace and Frankie and the sounds I recently consumed are Bass, Breaks and Beats by DJ EZ.

Who is your role model? And why?

I’d say my older sister Bernice. She is kind, funny, blunt and charismatic and has always encouraged and pushed me.

What is your most treasured possession?

A small family photo album with pictures of family here, in America and in Ghana.

Who would play you in the film of your life?

Nikki Amuka-Bird

Last holiday destination? And why?

My last holiday was in Slovenia. Some good friends invited me to visit their home in an area called Soca Valley to join them at a reggae festival and on a day trip to the Tolmin Gorges

Slovenia is visually stunning and its capital city Ljublana is very picturesque.

You’ve won ten million on the Lottery – what do you do?

I’d split a portion of the money with my family. I would probably invest some money in business and property, spend some money on a holiday with friends and I would donate the rest to charities including a community project in Manchester called Kyso, two football projects in London (St Matthew’s and Lambeth Tigers) and some projects in Ghana, Haiti and Sierra Leone. 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Don’t be afraid to come out of your comfort zone. 

What one bit of advice would you give someone wanting to do your job?

To get as much sports writing and reporting experience as possible.

Tell us something not many people know about you…?

I studied mixed martial arts (at a school called MD Martial Arts) for a few years.

Who would be your three Fantasy Dinner Party guests? And why?

Richard Pryor because of his caustic sense of humour. Arthur Wharton to find out what it was like for him coming from Ghana to England to be a missionary and then playing football between 1885 and 1902 and Vivienne Westwood to find out what inspired her to create punk fashion. 

Read more:

The post Sandra Brobbey appeared first on News UK.

What is a day in the life of an award-winning photographer?

A day in the life of a newspaper photographer is always different. In the space of one month I covered a general election, Maasai farmers in Tanzania, Donald Trump visiting the UK and a murder investigation in Yorkshire. My bread-and-butter is covering portraits, news and features in Scotland, which has taken me to every corner of the country.

What is your most iconic picture?

I haven’t shot it yet. I’m proud of the body of work as a whole, but don’t have anything that stands out enough on its own. There is a phrase that press photographers use – “you’re only as good as your last picture”. I’m not sure I totally agree with this, but the spirit of striving to be better and give everything on each shoot is something that resonates with me.

How did you get started in the world of photography?

I wanted to be a reporter at first and was in the offices of the student newspaper at Manchester University almost every day writing stories of various kinds. As a teenager I’d had an interest in photography and began to shoot pictures to accompany the articles I wrote and those of others. Work experience had taught me that quite often the reporters were required to stay in the office and this didn’t interest me, so I signed up for a course in Photojournalism in Sheffield. After this I worked at the Manchester Evening News and a picture agency in Yorkshire called Guzelian, before winning The Times’ young photographer competition in 2008. Progressing at each stage involved a lot of luck. There are a few individuals who helped me enormously and took risks by giving me work.

What are your top tips for budding young snappers?

Study the work of photographers you admire. Get to know your equipment so that using it becomes second-nature. Try to cultivate your own style and interests.

What are your five essentials when on a shoot?

Other than camera equipment – smart-phone, full tank of fuel, good coffee, laptop, change of clothes.

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