Presenter profiles

Favourite place or view:

Windy Gyle in the Cheviot Hills. It's right on the Scottish border, with amazing views in all directions.

First record you bought:

She Loves You by the Beatles.

Previous jobs:

I've been a journalist all my life, working in newspapers, radio and TV. I also ran a small PR consultancy and worked for the Northumberland National Park Authority as their Information Officer.

Good memories:

Countless wonderful walks in the north-east of England's countryside.

Bad memories:

I've seen many harrowing and distressing sights while on reporting assignments.

Best thing about working in radio:

Every day, the news is different - we get to talk to a wide variety of people and there's a guaranteed buzz in a two-hour live show.

Most interesting person you have interviewed:

It's impossible to pick out one person, because every interviewee is interesting for different reasons. But it was a bit strange interviewing the novelist Joanna Trollope because she used to be my English teacher at school – those old classroom anxieties never quite leave you!

Best thing about your show:

It's not just comprehensive coverage of the day's local, national and international news – we also laugh a lot and venture into the ridiculous and quirky.

Person with whom you would most enjoy being stuck in a lift:

Barack Obama

Favourite party game:

No favourite - the games were just a way of passing time until the cake was brought out!

Where you are when you get most of your inspiration or creative thoughts:

Walking in the North East countryside.

Funny sayings you like to use:

To avoid swearing, I resort to old-fashioned exclamations such as yikes, crikey and blimey.

Where you like to go for quiet moments:

Into my hammock, strung between two oak trees. Birdsong and woodland are calming and reassuring.

Memories of teachers at school:

We loved being taught English by Joanna Trollope, before her career as a novelist, because she had us analysing lyrics of Beatles' songs as an introduction to studying poetry.

Favourite playground game:

Cat's Cradle.

Any habits:

I have a serious caffeine habit - but wish I could afford a champagne habit.