What’s your role at MultiStory?
I am a Talent Executive based in London but I work across our Manchester office too. My role is varied but in essence I find freelancers to make all of our shows; from Runners all the way up to our Executive Producers. An important part of my job is looking after freelancers when they work for us and doing all we can to make MultiStory a creative, fun and fair place to work. We’ve had some lovely successes in the Best Places to Work in TV awards (particularly coming runner up).
What made you want to get into TV and how did you make that a reality?
I always loved trying to work out how TV shows were made so once I graduated I decided to see if I could get in. My first running role was on What Not to Wear with Trinny and Susannah for BBC One. I felt like I’d won the lottery getting that job because I adored watching the show and knew it inside out. It taught me my first lesson in getting a job in tele – know the show you are interviewing for. Being passionate goes a long way; they gave me the job when I had zero experience. Over the following decade I became a researcher, AP and then Producer / Director at BBC Children’s and Entertainment and continued freelancing as a PD and Edit producer until I joined MultiStory as a Talent Manager in 2019.
What’s the biggest hurdle you’ve had to overcome to get to where you are?
Probably the biggest hurdle was getting into TV right at the beginning of my career. I didn’t know anyone in the industry and I had a Business degree so it all seemed so out of reach. This is something I hear now from so many people trying to break in. But there’s no right or wrong way to get into tele, it’s a confidence game. You have to be prepared to give it your all and keep hustling!
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
There have been lots of highlights and really fun moments but on a day to day level, not having the Sunday night blues and genuinely enjoying my job has kept me in tele for 20 years. Working with so many different creative, interesting, clever people is so unique to TV.
What was your biggest “pinch me’ moment?
I filmed at Ozzie and Sharon Osbourne’s house in LA. It’s in an area called Hidden Hills which is a high end housing estate for celebrities surrounded of course by tons of security. Pulling up to their house with neighbours like J Lo and the Kardashians was heaven. I am terrified of dogs, and at one point I ended up bear hugging Ozzie from behind using him as a human shield from their dogs. He found it funny and thanked me for the hug.
Are there any big learning curves or disaster moments you can look back on and laugh about now?
Plenty of disasters and I still have PTSD from them all.
What are your favourite TV shows?
I love a bit of everything from reality to docs with some granny TV thrown in…..Love is Blind, The Kardashians, Selling Sunset, Antiques Roadshow, Alan and Amanda’s Tuscan adventures was a big hit with my 5 and 7 year olds, any and all true crime docs. The White Lotus and Succession are my absolute favourite drama’s of the last few years and One Day was so heartbreaking.
