In the Hot Seat
"Dorking in Surrey - and please no Dork jokes - it's been done."
Age? (very optional!!!)
"I'm going to say 27."
Earliest memory?
"When my sister was born, I had to sit alone in the
waiting room for what seemed like hours. The room was huge, with great big gloomy chairs. I was only little and I as so scared I cried. As we left, a
nurse chased after our car with a packet of Smarties to cheer me up!"
Favourite place?
"The river Thames - the ultimate chill out zone."
Any special qualifications/achievements that you're proud of?
"I have an IQ of 145!"
First job?
"Making Sunday tea for little old ladies."
Best job?
"Oh this one course!"
Dream job?
"TV presenter."
How did you get started in doing what you do?
"I worked for free at a radio station - until someone stuck his neck out for me and I got taken on at AA Roadwatch."
How long ago?
"Diana was still alive and mobile phones were phones - not cameras."
Where would you have been seen or heard since you
started broadcasting?
"Oh dear, I've been everywhere, that's the joy of Travel News - M25, M6,
M57 -even the M6 toll! Station-wise, Virgin, Classic FM, TalkSport, Jazz
fm, Capital fm and pretty much every other local radio station
in the South East."
Worst on-air moment (embarrassing or otherwise)?
"My first few months doing Travel on Chris Evans's Breakfast show - my heart stopped every time he fired the jingle."
Any ambitions left?
"To do some presenting other than travel and then
move to the country to bake cakes and keep chickens."
Biggest influence in your life?
"Everyone who told me that Radio was not a career for girls and that I should learn something sensible as a back-up plan. Stubborn desire to prove others wrong can be a great motivator."
Best advice that you've been given and why?
"If someone sticks their neck out for you - don't let them down!"
Any hobbies or special interests?
"Diving, Rowing, drinking Champagne, Eating chocolate, shopping for shoes and running down tourists with my scooter."
Any advice for those who want to get started in broadcasting?
"Be prepared to give it everything you have -
and don't listen to your Aunty Margaret."
Thanks to Julia for answering our questions, listen to travel on Classic FM every weekday afternoon and Virgin Radio every weekend. Or watch her on the ITV News Channel every weekday afternoon with travel bulletins.
Copyright: Julia Abbott/Martin Phillp 2005
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