What was your first job as a journalist?
Business Updates on TalkSPORT's Drive Show.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. Dyslexia is not the friend of a typewriter user.
How is social media changing news?
It's legitimising the pile-on. Making misinformation mainstream. Changing how shows are put together as extremities gain traction.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Bridget Jones. Or Rita Skeeter.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
I don't know. Because I'm not one!
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
- the launch of Susan Boyle's new recording.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
With a simple storyline and decent offer of time and money!
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
A Mac and standard 'Office' software.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter. Because I have yet to grasp the others and there's no way I am dancing for TikTok!
Who do you wish followed you?
Ed Sheeran. Or Piers Morgan.
Why did you become a journalist?
By mistake. Because I'm a columnist, not a journalist. Often the roles are confused!
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I wrote a few 'funnies' and jokes. And the 'and finally' stories.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Beach huts. Black Amex cards and second homes.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Write about what you know. And if you don't know about it? Find out for yourself.
When's the best time to pitch you?
When you have a good idea.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
What do you know about beach huts? Please write about why you love them.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Would I like to write about a new housing estate of 'affordable housing' for a high end property feature.
What's your favorite drink?
English sparkling wine. Or water.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
At the beach hut.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Classic Car Weekly. Or The Times on a Saturday.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That 'rich' means mega-wealthy. Rich is a relative term, that usually does not apply to you but people who have more money than you.
