On Monday 15th February, Empoword Journalism held another workshop as part of the ‘In Conversation with…’ series. Award-winning journalist Victoria Derbyshire joined Empoword Journalism’s Features Editor Orla McAndrew and Social Media Editor (Instagram) Neve Gordon-Farleigh.
With more than two decades at the BBC, Victoria Derbyshire spent 16 years at 5 Live before presenting her own current affairs programme. Victoria has also kept us company through the pandemic by bringing original stories, interviews, and the breaking news to our screens on the BBC’s morning news and current affairs programme on BBC2.
Victoria started her time as a journalist as a student, where she engaged in student media and began writing for a local newspaper; as well as broadcasting news bulletins on an independent local radio station — an experience that gave her “the bug” for pursuing a career in journalism. After studying for a Postgraduate Diploma in Radio & TV Journalism with The University of Central Lancashire in the early 1990s, Victoria went on to secure her first commercial journalism job as a reporter in Birmingham – the beginning of an illustrious and renowned career.
Looking back, Victoria reflected on how she has always had a subconscious passion for documenting events as she shared with the Team how she kept a diary every year of her life (bar only one!) since the age of 9. Writing about her day-to-day life, outfits, crushes and adventures, Victoria reminisced on how she thought that “there was something about putting it down on paper that made me feel kind of ordered, and when I look back, I think ‘okay, that’s a little bit about journalism isn’t it?’ — writing down the facts”.
This was not the only experience that Victoria gained before becoming a professional journalist, however. She shared a heart-warming story on how she spent 2 years as a young person penning letter upon letter to Roger Casstles, Executive Producer of hit fashion show The Clothes Show, before he gave her the opportunity to take a week’s work experience with the show during London Fashion Week. The moral of the story? Don’t give up! By encouraging viewers to always ask for an opportunity that you want, Victoria inspired many by reassuring that the worst that can happen is that the Editor or Producers says “no” — but they are highly likely to gain a lot of respect for you as a professional for asking in the first place.
It is safe to say, that we could not have spoken to Victoria Derbyshire about taking opportunities in your career without asking about her recent time on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! just before Christmas. She reportedly “loved every second” of her time in Gwrych Castle, even when making headlines for bravely discussing her breast cancer journey with fellow contestant Jessica Plummer during an episode of the show.
Throughout her career, Victoria has channelled this same bravery into reporting on and documenting some incredible heart wrenching breaking news and personal stories, including the likes of the Grenfell Tower fire (2017); the Manchester Arena bombing (2017); the Westminster Bridge attacks (2017); and, the exposure of football coach and convicted paedophile Barry Bennell in 2016 on Victoria Derbyshire.
It was even expressed that this was Victoria’s “pinch-me moment” in her career, as it gave four victims of sexual assault by their football coach in the 1980s and 1990s the opportunity to speak out on national television for the first time in a plea for other victims to seek support or come forward. Victoria noted how she couldn’t think of another show at the time that would have provided such a safe environment for the now-grown men to share their stories. Victoria won a BAFTA for this interview and dedicated it to the four gentlemen that featured on the programme.
Most recently, in the midst of the first UK National lockdown in 2020, Victoria released a Panorama documentary investigating the impact of the UK’s ‘Stay at Home’ rule on those trapped in a home with an abusive partner during the Coronavirus crisis. Escaping My Abuser came following the dramatic rise in calls to domestic abuse helplines in the first lockdown, and introduces some of those who have managed to get out of their abusive home-lives amidst the lockdown restrictions.
Following the discussion of each of these stories, Victoria advocated for seeking advice or somebody to talk to following exposure to stories like these and subsequently looking after your mental wellbeing in the workplace and the industry, all whilst demonstrating her phenomenal bravery, talent and respect for the role of a journalist when sharing the stories of the nation with the world day in, day out.
Victoria Derbyshire’s Top Tips for Working in the Journalism Industry:
- You need to care about people and what people do and be passionate about giving a voice to the voiceless – the people who you don’t get to see or hear much of on TV news.
- Always remember your responsibility and duty of care as a journalist.
- Set big goals and work hard to reach them; and, try everything that you want to do and “dabble in loads of different things on the way”.
- Be yourself.
Caitlin Parr
Featured image courtesy of Empoword Journalism. No changes were made to this image.
Caitlin Parr
Caitlin is an MA student at Cardiff University's School of Journalism, Media and Culture alongside distance learning with the NCTJ. Outside of Empoword, she works in local news and radio in Cardiff, whilst also working with/writing for organisations such as Cardiff Women's Aid, Girlguiding and Change Grow Live. In her spare time she's a musician!