Bill Turnbull – Q&A

Name?
Bill Turnbull

Age?
50

Where are you from?
Born in Surrrey, live in Bucks. Any number of places in between.

How did you get started in broadcasting?
Radio Clyde, Glasgow. I wrote asking for a job after the postgrad diploma course in Journalism Studies at Cardiff.

When was that?
1978

Why News broadcasting?
Because it’s 100 times more exciting than print.

Where else would have viewers seen or heard you before?
All over the place on BBC Radio and TV News.

What is your Best on-air moment?
Lots of highs as a reporter, from the Moscow uprising in 1993 to New Orleans in 2005. My favourite was a piece about voodoo in Haiti for Correspondent. Best live studio moments – staying focussed while Breakfast co-presenters fall about laughing – most notably Sian Williams after she snapped the leg off an Action Man (who says Breakfast is dumbing down?)

What is your Worst on-air moment?
Trying to read a news bulletin with the cart faders down as a trainee on Radio Clyde. Total broadcast meltdown.

What would you like to do before your career ends?
Reach retirement age.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
Beekeeping in summer, watching Wycombe Wanderers in winter.

What advice would you give to anyone that would like to get into the broadcasting world?
Get your foot in the door anywhere you can – there’s no substitute for experience. And whatever you do, make sure it’s not media studies.

A big thanks to Bill for taking part.

Posted by on Thursday 21 May 2009
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