Reporters

Joanne Writtle

It was Joanne's tabloid-reading grandmotherwho first  encouraged her to enter the world of journalism, for when she was at primary school she became an avid Daily Star reader(!), the newspaper favoured by her grandparents. She even had a letter published in the paper as a child,(sent in by her fun-loving Nan)

Joanne's parents read plenty of other newspapers and Radio 4 was always on, so her interest in what was going on in the world was nurtured early, although she's from a family of builders, not journalists.

Joanne has been part of the Midlands Today reporting team since 2004, mainly covering stories in Shropshire and south Staffordshire, having previously worked for ITV Central after starting out on her career in local newspapers.

She loves the ever-changing variety of news items she covers. There are hard hitting issues like the fox hunting ban, homelessness and murders. Then on other days she's taking to the skies in the world's first glass bottom hot air balloon, or sailing in a tiny boat on the River Severn interviewing a man who invented a giant hamster wheel to get across the water.

Joanne is married to a photographer and loves spending time with her two young sons. "The children are far more interested in Thomas the Tank Engine than my news reports," laughs Joanne. She's also an avid cook and enjoys the outdoors.