Robin H: Hi Huw, do you think that your Welsh accent has helped or hindered your career as a broadcast journalist?

Huw Edwards: I think that when I started 20 yrs ago it wasn't a great deal of help. I took a decision not to change it though because I felt it was an important part of my identity. Thankfully today, accents of all kinds are quite rightly, more acceptable.

Tim: What's the most interesting News you've ever read?

Huw Edwards: Umm...the most interesting is also the most harrowing without doubt - September 11th 2001. At that time I was presenting the 6 o'clock News and on that day we had 11 million people watching. I felt a great responsibility giving the news to people on that day.

Elijah: I've always wondered.... what do you talk about at the end of the News when the lights go down?

Huw Edwards: Lots of people ask me this question! There are only two of us in the studio and it's me and the Floor Manager and I normally ask him or her what they thought of the programme and sometimes the answers are a bit rude!

RobinH: Do you appreciate Alastair McGowan's impression (on The Big Impression) of you and do you think it's accurate?

Huw Edwards: It's got me some brilliant publicity! I think he's still got a bit of work to do on the accent though!

Bob Dylan: Do you miss the 'cut and thrust' of being out and about reporting or is the Studio your preferred habitat?

Huw Edwards: I miss it a huge amount. For the first two years of presenting I missed reporting enormously but you never know, someday I might go back to it...

Rhian: How do I get experience of working in the Media?

Huw Edwards: You need to decide which part of the media you want to work in and put all your efforts into getting experience in that area. Luckily today, lots of media employers are very happy to give work experience to people.

Simon K: What current Broadcast Journalist do you most admire and why?

Huw Edwards: Hmmm...that's a tough one. One example of a brilliant broadcast journalist is Sir Allister Burnett who used to present 'News at 10' on ITV. He's an authoritive, brilliant journalist and extremely knowledgeable about domestic and international affairs.

Welsh Wonder: After watching 'The Story of Welsh' does Huw see himself as a promoter of the Welsh language and does he speak to his daughter in Welsh?

Huw Edwards: Yes, I do speak Welsh to my kids which is quite a battle in London! So in that sense, of course I'm a promoter of the Welsh language.

Jim Bob: Would you like to see your face on t-shirts like 'Raggie Ohmar'? (sorry about the spelling)

Huw Edwards: Categorically not! (laughs loudly)

Welsh Wonder: Is it true your a fan of the GLC? If so what's your favourite track?

Huw Edwards: When it comes to rock, I'm totally backward! I listen to horribly predictable, classical music.

dai: Pa mor aml ydych chi'n dod yn ol i Gymru?

Huw Edwards: Mae'n dibynnu ar deulu ac mae'n dibynnu ar y gwaith ond fel arfer mewn blwyddyn fe fyddai'n dod yn ol rhyw 20 o weithiau.

Host: Huw visits Wales about 20 times a year.

dave: Do you play an instument?

Huw Edwards: Yes, I play the Piano, Organ and Oboe very, very badly! I was going to learn the Flute but I learnt the Oboe instead - a very bad mistake!

cuchulain: do you think comunity television is a good way for an introduction to the media?

Huw Edwards: Any television work is good experience so I wouldn't turn my nose at any television experience at all.

Elin: Oes oeddet ti'n anifail pa anifail bydde ti?

Huw Edwards: O blydi hel! Hmm...Rheinosorys oherwydd mae angen croen rheinosyrys i weithio yn y cyfryngau

Host: Huw's favourite animal is the Rhinocerous, hence the thick skin!

Bob Dylan: Did you know early on you wanted to work in television? how important do you think it is to have that sort of long-term career goal?

Huw Edwards: No, I wanted to be a teacher or a lecturer which is why I persued my post graduate studies.

Angharad: In the recent 100 Welsh Heroes campaign - who got your vote?

Huw Edwards: It certainly wasn't Aneurin Bevan. I think it would have been Owain Glyndwr or Bishop William Morgan who translated the Bible to Welsh.

Bluebirds: Which football team do you support?

Host: Rugby and Football...

Huw Edwards: In rugby - Llanelli obviously, and in football I support for the sake of domestic harmony - Chelsea! My wife is a Chealsea fan and so is my olderst boy.

Tom: What are your career highlights so far?

Huw Edwards: What I've enjoyed most is being the youngest person ever to present the General Election on Radio 4 in 1992 and also presenting the first Assembly Elections in Wales in 1999. Last year, presenting the Festival of Rememberance in the Albert Hall was also a great privilege.

Kerrymc: Good looks are important for TV work - is it essential to have a journalistic background, or can you simply read the script?

Huw Edwards: I think you'd be in a bit of trouble if you didn't have a strong journalistic background! Try interviewing Andrew Marr and not getting stuck if you know nothing about politics!

dave: Have you ever been out reporting and feared for your life?

Huw Edwards: Yes, only once and it wasn't even in a war zone. I was sent to report on a conflict in Siberia when I was reporting from Russia 10 years ago and we came across a very nasty bunch of people but luckily that's the only time I've felt that my life was under threat.

dave: Do you have much spare time? You seem to read the '6 o'clock News' in London and then zip down to Cardiff to present The Exchange. Isn't it all a bit hectic?

Huw Edwards: Not much, I think my diary is on a meltdown on a weekly basis so when I have some spare time I try to spend it with the kids. Luxury for me is having a half hour to myself to do some reading.

Sarah: Pwy wnaeth dy ysbrydoli ti pan nest ti ddechrau dy yrfa?

Host: Who is your biggest inspiration?

Huw Edwards: Yn y cyfrynagu cymraeg roedd Vaughan HUghes yn cyflwyno Y Dydd ac roedd e yn ysbrydoliaeth i fi.

dave: How far in advance are you booked up?

Huw Edwards: (Laughs)This morning I've come back from Birmingham, and I was talking to the Birmingham Welsh society - this was booked in 2001 - which answers your question!!!

kat: You always seem very relaxed when reading the news - do you ever get nervous?

Huw Edwards: Yes, I often get nervous and I think that's quite right. It's normally when the programme is not properly prepared and things can be quite volatile!

Bob Dylan: Do you think you'll branch out more into other presenting jobs - like Story of Welsh - or stick with the News?

Huw Edwards: I think for the moment I'm contracted to do 200 days on the 10 o'Clock News this year so that's my main job but I do try and add other projects to that.

Menai: Oedd dy fam a dy dad yn gefnogol o dy ddewis o yrfa?

Huw Edwards: Braidd yn ofnus oherwydd bod y cyfrngau yn ddiwydiant cystadleuol tu hwnt? Were mum and dad supportive of your career?

Huw Edwards: ond erbyn hyn maen nhw wedi derbyn e!

Host: They did worry but are happy now!

David: Is a newsroom as competitive and back stabbing as people say?

Huw Edwards: Yes! there are a lot of nice people, but the atmosphere is almost always on the edge...and that's putting it nicely!

Bob Dylan: Do you still keep abreast of what's happening in Llanelli?

Huw Edwards: Yes I do, I always have the 'Llanelli Star' phoning me up asking for my comments on all sorts of things, so I'm quite well informed!

angh: pa gymwysterau neu sgiliau dwi angen i fod yn ddarlledwr? What skills do you need to be a newsreader?

Huw Edwards: Y peth pwysica ohonyn nhw i gyd yw'r gallu i fynegi dy hun yn dda. Ar ol hynny mae pethau yn duweddol o roi trefn ar eu hunain, gan gynnwys gallu newyddiadurol.

Host: Huw say's the most important skill of all is being able to communicate and express yourself clearly. After that things tend to sort themselves out, even journalistic skills.

Julia: Do you think you'd be happy with a 9-5 job?

Huw Edwards: Hmm...I think there's bound to come a time when I'd like a 9 - 5 job. I think when you're given a job like the '10 o'clock News' - which is the BBC's top newsreading job, you're not about to start whinging about the hours!

Charlie: Would ever write a book? What would it be about?

Huw Edwards: Well I'd love to write a novel, a fiction but I've never actually gotten around to it.

Glyn: How did you feel when you read out the News "Wales 2 - Italy 1"?

Huw Edwards: I was trying not to be too smug! (laughs loudly)

Huw Edwards: People would expect me to write a predictable book about some political figure but I'm not going to do that.

Glyn: What qualifications did you take in school?

Huw Edwards: I followed the best advice I got in school which was to do subjects that you like! In my case French and languages were my favourites. If you like a subject you're going to work hard at it. I think the secret of doing well academically is to be genuinly enthused about the subject. I still use my French even now when French television want to know what's going on here in Britain they'll often phone me up. If you are really determined to get on in the Media the secret is be patient but be very, very persistent!

Carrie: Where do I get work experience?

Careers Wales Expert: Find out where your local Media companies are if you're under 16yrs old and then bigger companies like BBC, S4C, HTV etc if you are over 16yrs.

Bethan and Catherine: What degree course do you recommend for a career in Journalism?

Careers Wales Expert: There is a good one at Cardiff University in Broadcasting and Journalism - it's a very competitive course or do a degree first in something like English or Welsh - or anything, and then a year's post graduate study.

Bob Dylan: It's often hard for people in rural areas to get media experience near them, particularly when the BBC etc organise them?

Careers Wales Expert: There are smaller companies thoughout Wales. You could even try local hospital radio stations, and local newspapers which are often used for local events that go out on national television. You can also e-mail work into companies.



http://www.careerswales.com/
Careers Wales

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/halloffame/showbiz/huwedwards.shtml
Find out more about Huw in the South West Wales 'Hall Of Fame'