Presenters

Ceri Perkins

I've been presenting for BBC South East Today since it launched and was privileged to be the first person on air, fronting the breakfast bulletin on 3 September 2001.

I love working and living in the South East - I think this area is one of the most beautiful parts of Britain.

Becoming a journalist was a career change for me. After completing a media studies degree, I went into marketing with kids TV channel Nickelodeon.

After five years I decided to trade my pinstriped suits and expense account to become a destitute student again, undertaking a post-graduate in broadcast journalism at Cardiff University.

I then went to HTV News West in Bristol where I worked as a multi-skilled journalist - reporting and producing - as well as presenting news programmes. I also did a stint as a reporter for Channel 5's debate programme 'The Wright Stuff'.

I joined BBC South East as the breakfast presenter and now present the lunchtime programme too. You may also see me standing in for Beverley on South East Today at 6.30pm.

My preferred style of news story is the quirky human interest tale, which gives people something to talk about in the pub. One of my more memorable experiences as a journalist was taking to the skies above Bristol by plane, with 100 kids, on a search for Santa. It proved a bit of a wild goose chase until one child swore blind he'd seen the man in red behind a cloud!

When I'm not reading the news, or catching up on my sleep after all those early starts, I like to do yoga and ski when I get the chance. I also love to travel, exploring far-flung destinations. I can particularly recommend a bit of salsa in Cuba!