I’m a journalist and copy-editor with a few decades’ experience under my belt (I was a very young apprentice). I started out as a rock writer on a regional listings magazine and am now freelance.
I co-own and report for Inside the M60, with my colleague Nigel Barlow. Together we cover all things Manchester, with a special emphasis on community news.
As a widely published feature writer, my specialist subjects include technology, finance, disability and social issues, TV, green issues, consumer/lifestyle, culture, media, business, food and health etc. I have written for a very diverse range of publications in recent years – The Guardian, The Observer, Fabulous, Candis, Screenjabber, New Consumer, Sweet, Your Home, How Do and Skin Two, to mention just a few. I am available for commissions.
I’ve also been a talking head on air discussing everything from business networking and epilepsy to regional news provision and my crying habits via MPs’ expenses and memories of my impossibly glamorous grandmother. I also review the papers and participate as a panel guest on radio chat shows.
Radio: BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Radio Merseyside, TalkSPORT (Late Show with Ian Collins), BBC Radio Lancashire
TV: NewsWatch (BBC News), DM Digital TV
My first book, Epilepsy: The Essential Guide, was published in May 2009.
My portfolio website is here.
Some trivia:
I failed an audition for The Tube in 1982 but finally made it onto BBC News 24 in April 2008.
I’m a one-finger typist and I never learned shorthand, but I’ve never missed a deadline.
I’ve twice worked as a professional cook between hacking jobs.
I’m a notorious pedant with a hatred of incorrectly used Oxford commas.
In August 2010, I outed my alter ego, Wordsmith for Hire, after six long, anonymous years.
A southerner in chosen exile, I live Oop North in the Rainy City, which is my favourite place in the whole world. I lodge with my pedigree cat, Nelson, who has his own blog. We watch EastEnders together and fight over who can have which side of the bed.
