Sharon Barbour – Q&A

Name?
Sharon Barbour

Age?
Nearly 40 (but don’t tell anyone that!)

Where are you from?
New Zealand – although my grandparents are English and I’ve been here for 15 years.

How did you get started in broadcasting?
Started in Newspapers, then to the Australian Film and Television School – in Sydney.

When was that?
1984

Why News broadcasting?
I love the immediacy. I worked in radio – that was even more exciting as you can get a story on air straight away – but it’s great to see the action on tv. I now shoot and edit too – which I love.

Where else would have viewers seen or heard you before?
News 24, Breakfast TV, BBC World, Look North presenter and reporter, File on 4 (BBC Radio 4) and the BBC’s Special Documentaries Unit. TV and Radio across Australia and New Zealand. Won Mobil Award for Best News presenter in NZ and won best Independent Documentary Award in International Performing Arts in Television and Radio (Patar). This year was runner-up as Best Journalist in RTS Awards.

What is your Best on-air moment?
Interviewing Tony Blair and doing an incredibly long live broadcast with amazing veteran olympians – for BBC World.

What is your Worst on-air moment?
Accidentally calling the Venus Pizza Parlour the Penis Pizza Parlour (then falling off my chair laughing as I tried to correct myself – I was very young!)

What would you like to do before your career ends?
Make a full length Feature Film (or 2) – and some staggering documentaries – (and present the 6!)

What do you like to do in your spare time?
Be with my wonderful family. Research and make films, swim, run, holidays!

What advice would you give to anyone that would like to get into the broadcasting world?
Research the industry. Work out what you really want to do. Then – with every fibre of your being – Go for it!!

A big thanks to Sharon for taking part.

Posted by on Thursday 21 May 2009

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