Bristol’s top female broadcasters

You wake up to them, listen to them in the car and watch them on television everyday but who are Bristol’s brilliant women broadcasters? 

We find out how they got into journalism, what inspires them and why Bristol is a great base for broadcasting. 

Kylie Pentelow is ITV West co-anchor and ITN news presenter

After my print journalism MA I worked for the Bath Chronicle before going to BBC Points West. I bugged them so much with story ideas that they let me do some reporting, then I moved to Birmingham.  TV anchor jobs don’t come up very often and when the ITV West position was advertised I knew it was time to come back.

The Bath tipper truck crash is a story that as a journalist really stays with you. It could have happened to anyone just walking down the road and that is really shocking.

The hardest thing about my job is becoming a mini-expert on something new every single day. I’ve just done an interview with a junior doctor. This afternoon I’ll be talking to an expert from the Birds of Prey Centre. I have a very good short-term memory but ask me in the morning and I won’t remember any of it.

@kyliepentelow 

Susannah Streeter presents World Business Report on the BBC World Service and BBC World Television 

I was part of the HTV (now ITV) drama workshop on Bath Road and I became fascinated by the TV news crews zooming off to stories. I started freelancing in Bristol before moving to ITV and then the BBC in London.

The most memorable story was the financial crisis of 2008. I had to work overnight preparing my report for BBC Breakfast News. I was preparing a feature on the opening of Cabot Circus at the same time, which seemed unfortunate timing.

There are so many stories to tell in Bristol, from the start-up tech network that’s won global acclaim to the campaigners across the city who are on a mission to reduce food waste. 

@Susastreeter

Ellie Pitt is a video journalist and presenter on Made in Bristol TV

I entered ITN’s Breaking into News competition and put together my first news report about drugs in Gloucestershire. I then studied for a MA in television journalism.

I’ll never forget reporting the Becky Watts murder. The trial was my first experience reporting a large case like that. They were horrendous events to watch unfold, shocking details to report and a sadness in the courtroom that I’ll always remember.

I film and edit everything myself, usually several stories a day, to non-negotiable deadlines – it can be tough, but it’s exciting. 

@ElliePittTV

Jane Solomons is a freelance presenter and voice of the audio version of The Economist

After university, I did work experience at BBC Radio Bristol which gave me a lever into my first real job for the BBC in Cambridge.

I did a live interview once with a very well-known screen and stage actress, who answered only in mono-syllables.  I was dying to ask “just why are you here if this is so painful?” but simply struggled on.  I once experienced a circus performer throwing knives around me during a live radio programme. I can honestly say it was more relaxing!

As a TV reporter I can’t think of many jobs that take you into so many interesting, challenging, sometimes dangerous, but almost always fascinating places.

@JaneSolomons  

Sherrie Eugene-Hart presents Real Women and is a trustee of BCfm. She also presents a cookery show on Made in Bristol TV with her husband Pat Hart 

I was a fluent British Sigh Language User and HTV needed a replacement for the sign language slot. I visited them in 1982 – they had plans for me and I took advantage of my opportunity.

The best thing about being a journalist in Bristol is that people trust me to tell their story. I always want to tell a story the way the interviewee wants it to be told.  I’m proud that people feel they can talk to me.  I have so many Bristol secrets that will stay with me until I have their permission to share.

The biggest challenges are being a working mother and juggling the task of school run, work and home.  I absolutely love all three. 

@bcfmradio

Emma Britton is BBC Radio Bristol’s new Breakfast Show presenter  

I started out as a guest, that turned into a regular contributors spot and I ended up applying to work for the BBC in 2007.

I love being a radio presenter. It’s a very special relationship with the listener, they rely on you to keep them informed but you also become a bit like part of the family. You are in their shower, kitchen or car every morning!

I’m new at BBC Radio Bristol but for me my most memorable stories are not about famous people or even the big breaking news events but when I get to meet real people with fascinating lives. The biggest challenge for me is getting up at 3.30am! And the fact you can’t please all of the people all of the time.

@theemmabritton 

Jess Rudkin is the editor of BBC Bristol  

I had always wanted to be a journalist but originally wanted to write features. So I became features editor at Bristol Uni’s student paper Epigram. After Bristol, I went to Cardiff Uni to do the postgrad in broadcast journalism. Originally I thought I wanted to do TV, but at Cardiff I really fell in love with making radio.

Radio is about moments. My favourite moment, which still gives me a thrill when I think about it, was the Olympic Torch Relay for the London Olympics. Only BBC local radio could make every single town and village it passed through feel like stars. It was a nightmare to staff, but I was so proud of our coverage.

@jessrudkin 

Charlotte Gay is a reporter for Global Radio 

I studied for a BA in journalism and I did a lot of work experience – if it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t have got the right experience to get the job here for Global Radio’s West.

I love that I can learn how to drive a First bus, report live from above the city in a hot air balloon, or exclusively reveal the extent of puppy farming in the South West.

From my phone on the road I can record interviews and do bulletins live from the scene of the latest breaking news. I upload photos and videos everywhere I go to social media and our websites. It’s not always easy staying on top of everything but there aren’t many jobs where I’d get to do as much as I can here.

@CharlotteGay92 

Cheryl Morgan co-hosts the Women’s Outlook show on Ujima

Photo by Lou Abercrombie 

I can’t compare to other cities, but I must say that I have been hugely impressed by the variety of fascinating and enthusiastic community groups in Bristol. There’s never any shortage of people to have on the show.

As an out trans woman I am always a little nervous that people will take against me. There is still an awful lot of discrimination against people like me in the UK. However, the folks at Ujima have been great.

As far as I know, I am the only trans woman in the country to host a women’s interest show. I can’t see that sort of thing happening on Woman’s Hour any time soon.

@CherylMorgan  

Ujima’s Carmen Carrol, Jaz Ketibuah Foley, Lydia Macqueen 

Carmel Carrol presents a gospel music show Soul 2 Sole on Ujima with her husband

I was working in events management when I was asked to host a gospel show. I had no previous experience as such in media. So it was a leap of faith.

The biggest challenge in the job is being transparent and staying relevant – it’s about the message in our music, we want people to find hope and be inspired to keep moving forward.

@CarmenCarrol1

Lydia Macqueen is the host of Shades of Blues on Ujima

I have always loved the blues and I love sharing the music and educating people about the blues on the show. I came in as a guest on the show and now I present it and volunteer at Ujima doing admin.

The Bristol music scene is very special. I have met so many people in the music industry when they come into the radio station.

I do still get nervous on air – it is challenging when you have to time all commercial breaks and news but that is becoming less and less. 

@lydiamacqueen

Jaz Ketibuah-Foley co-hosts Ujima show Tommy Popcorn and Jaz

I learnt about radio from some fantastic mentors here at Ujima – really important women who work in radio. They taught me how to everything from recording to producing a show and they inspired me to do more.

My most memorable moments are talking to people in the city – they have so many fantastic and amazing stories and we give them a platform to tell them. There are so many grass roots organisations around and they all have something to shout about.

@ketibuahfoley

Read more: Changes at Radio Bristol as presenter quits