Presenters

Suzanne Virdee

Born in the West Midlands, her family had an inkling she was going to be a journalist from early on when aged eight, Suzanne started writing her own newspaper and selling them to family and friends.

"My mum's still got a copy and when I look back at it now - it makes me laugh - because the stories were so funny. I even had a fashion page and I wrote all the horoscopes myself.

"I felt really sorry for my family because not only did they have to spend 10p buying the papers but when we were on long car journeys they had to put up with being interviewed about where we were going.

"Not to mention my running commentary on our surroundings as we drove there," Says Suzanne. Her first job in journalism was as a trainee reporter at the Solihull Times at the tender age of 18.

After passing her journalism exams, Suzanne worked for Central Television before heading back to newspapers and working for the Sunday Mercury and then the Birmingham Evening Mail.

"My most memorable assignment at the Mail was being in London to cover Princess Diana's funeral. I was among a huge crowd of people all waiting outside Westminster Abbey. When her cortege came past it was amazing - you could hear a pin drop. It was very emotional and something I will never forget," adds Suzanne.

She then joined BBC WM but after 16 months moved to Central News as a reporter, producer and presenter. She is married to Andrew, who is a freelance photographer and outside work Suzanne enjoys cooking, reading biographies, going to the theatre and spending time with her family and friends.