Presenter profiles

Despite having spent a great deal of time travelling around the globe, Gateshead and the North East are pivotal to my world. I was born here, and my family and friends are still living here - quite literally round the corner.

My parents ran companies in the haulage and offshore industries. So, after spending childhood summers packing overalls for the shipyards, business is still one of my great passions.

Radio calls

I went to school in Newcastle and then in 1996 headed off to university in London. It was here that I first turned my voice to student radio and TV. After working in broadcasting sales and travelling as far afield as Australia, Japan, and Indonesia, I headed back to Britain to work in radio. 

After training and a short spell in commercial radio, I joined BBC Newcastle as a news reporter in 2003.

Charlie and Alfie - the new dynamic duo...

Since then, listeners and viewers will have heard and seen me across the BBC's output, including time on the travel desk, but primarily as reporter, producer and newsreader.

I've met thousands of wonderful people who have trusted us to tell their personal stories, get answers for them and hold others to account.

There's been some fascinating stuff over the years - exclusively investigating live organ transplants, a split within the BNP, off-street prostitution and drug problems in the North East, when we managed to get a teenage heroin addict into rehab and off drugs.

All that, and with some outspoken mums, taxi drivers and football fans thrown in for good measure.

Outside work, I have an unhealthy obsession with music, giggling, dancing and food - often at the same time. My family and friends are the highlights of my life, as is the odd swing in my hammock.

At the BBC, working with such a fantastically passionate Breakfast Show team is just the icing on the cake.

Oh - and one snippet that you may not know… contrary to popular belief, I'm not a Charlotte or a Charlene. My nickname actually dates back to schooldays - I was always asking questions, so my poor teacher told me I was a "Cheeky Charlie" which my schoolmates leapt on.

My dad said it would never last but, more than 20 years on, Victoria Charlton is still known as Charlie.