David Jessel – Q&A

Name?
David Jessel

Age?
Bloody hell. Just gone 60.

Where are you from?
England.

How did you get started in broadcasting?
Making tea on a 2 week contract in the BBC Birmingham newsroom in 1967.

When was that?
1967

Why News broadcasting?
I started in radio broadcasting – BBC Radio 4 World at One, which gave me my big break for the Paris riots of 68. I was first voice on LBC, the first independent radio station in GB. Then I left to do TV current affairs – wars, earthquakes, elections and so on. Then specialised in Miscarrtiages of Justice – Rough Justice on BBC, then Trial and Error on Channel 4. Then moved out of telly to do miscarriages of jsutice for real as a Commissioner on the Criminal Cases Review Commission. Had never done live news till BBC World began, and just love the buzz of live – though couldn’t do it more than a couple of times a week cos of other commitments.

Where else would have viewers seen or heard you before?
Rough Justice, Heart of the Matter, HardTalk (BBC) Trial and Error, Dispatches C4.

What is your Best on-air moment?
Just whenever I get the best out of an interviewee.

What is your Worst on-air moment?
Interviewing Petula Clark in the belief that she was Julie Andrews.

What would you like to do before your career ends?
Freelance careers never end. We just get shunted ever further into the shadows. I’ve been v lucky and had a ball and won 3 Royal Television Soc. Gongs but most of all I’ve been interested.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
Look after my third son (6) and first daughter (2) eat drink and go to Italy.

What advice would you give to anyone that would like to get into the broadcasting world?
None. If you’re any good you’ll already be doing somethng to show you’re serious – student journalism, local radio whatever.

Other Information?
Co-author worldwide bestselling book on male and female brain – BrainSex.

A big thanks to David for taking part.

Posted by on Thursday 21 May 2009
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