A department graduate has been crowned Reporter of the Year in a BBC local Radio award ceremony.

Nicola Rees from BBC Radio Leeds won gold at the BBC Frank Gillard Awards that are held each year to celebrate the best in local radio.

The year it was hosted by the BBCís social affairs correspondent, Richard Bilton, and judged by 39 presenters, editors and managers from local radio.

Nicola said: ìWinning Gold at the Gillards has got to be the highlight of my career so far. I was so nervous on the night and when Richard Bilton called out my name my legs went weak. I spend every day in front of a microphone, but at that moment I was so nervous.î

There were 24 categories in all ranging from Religious Programming to Station of the Year and the judging panel included Grandstand presenter Craig Doyle, Sophie Raworth of BBC News and ITN media and arts correspondent, Nina Nannar.

Nicola submitted five pieces of work totalling less than half an hour for her entry. They covered a varied range including a live broadcast on St Georges day were 50 shoppers sang along to ìJerusalemî, a challenging interview with the Chief Executive of Leeds United Football Club and a report about Alzheimerís disease.

News editorís dream

The judges commented that Nicola ìpossesses the full range of reporting skills, and in particular she is an outstanding ‘live’ reporter with a knack for creating compelling radio.î One even commented that she is a ìnews editorís dreamî because of her ìall round ability, enthusiasm and rapport with the audience.î

Itís not the first time that Nicola, who left UCLan in 2003 with a BA (Hons) Journalism degree, has won at the Gillards as she was awarded the bronze award for Best Reporter in 2005. She describes working in radio as ìthe best job in the world.î

ìEvery day is different. One day you can be bursting out of a riot van with specialist police officers… and the next you can be telling a story about a man who lives in a tepee.î

She added: ìPeople laugh when I say I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I went to university but after a week on the Journalism course I knew I was going to work in radio. I’ll always have great memories of my time at UCLan and I firmly believe I would never have got the job of my dreams without the expertise and support of the staff in the Journalism department.î

More info
BA (Hons) Journalism
PGDip Broadcast Journalism
More about the Gillard Awards
BBC Radio Leeds

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