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"Unbelieveable!"
"Bizarre!" Three years after winning a BBC contract to
work in children's television, Michael Underwood still can't believe
it.
Three
years ago, Michael had just qualified as a school teacher. He decided
not to get a job straight away but to take a year out: "I loved
teaching children but when I came out of college I thought: 'if
I go into teaching now, I'll be with it for the next 40 or 50 years.'"
'Giving
it a go'
He
joined BBC Radio Northampton for one weeks-worth of work experience.
By the end of that week he was offered - and accepted - a job as
researcher at the station.
He
then saw a small ad in the BBC staff newspaper, Ariel, asking for
people who would like to be a children's TV presenter.
"I
thought, 'Wow! I'd like to give it a go.'"
Just
pipped to the Blue Peter job. |
With
the help of a BBC Radio Northampton colleague, Michael shot a 'demo
tape' of himself interviewing shoppers in the Abington Street Marks
& Spencer shop. He sent the video to the address on the advert
and a copy to the Blue Peter office.
Two
weeks later, he got a call from the Blue Peter office.
"I'd
been faxing them every day with my CV and photo," said Michael.
"They said, 'Come to London. We'd like to see you.'"
Blue
Peter audition
He
went through the full Blue Peter audition: trampolining, holding
the animals, interviewing a star and doing a 'make', but he narrowly
missed getting the job, being pipped at the post by Simon Thomas.
But
Michael wasn't disappointed: "I came back to Radio Northampton
and I was all smiles."
Gaby
Roslin. |
Two
week later, he heard from the people behind the advert in Ariel
and was invited to appear on the Gaby Roslin show Whatever You Want.
It was a game show and the prize was a job as a children's TV presenter.
"There
were three of us on the show. We all had to audition in front of
a live studio audience and the audience voted. They voted for me
and I won a six week contract with CBBC.
"Three
years later, I'm still there and suddenly it all changes again.
Bizarre!"
Michael's
advice on getting into television »
|
There were three of us on the show. We all had to audition
in front of a live studio audience and the audience voted.
They voted for me and I won a six week contract with CBBC.
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