Alex Jones, 49, has revealed that as a young girl she was "too scared" to admit she wanted to work in television. The broadcaster, best known for hosting BBC's The One Show since 2010, grew up in Carmarthenshire, South Wales, and never believed such a career would be possible for her.
She said: "When I was a little girl growing up in South Wales, I thought I’d like to be a presenter but I was too scared to say anything because nobody in South Wales became broadcasters, especially not on national television."
Reflecting on a day she presented from Windsor Castle, she added: "I really thought about that little girl that day and thought I can’t believe that this is what I do for a job."
Early career setbacks
After university, Jones became a TV researcher, but was sacked twice, including once for mistaking Mike Peters of The Alarm for a workman who had come to fix an alarm. At age 21, she was asked by a producer to audition in front of the camera, and she went on to present on BBC Choice and the Welsh language channel S4C.
The One Show at 20
The One Show will celebrate its 20th anniversary this month with a week of special programmes. Jones and co-host Roman Kemp will lead studio coverage, with segments from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as the show revisits some of its most memorable stories.
A lasting appeal
Jones believes the show has continued to succeed because of its "variety". She said: "It’s nice for the audience to switch on at 7pm and see these guests from the latest blockbusters side by side with a beautiful nature VT or the 500 Words writing competition."
"Its appeal is wide because of the variety and the content. It’s content-rich and a show that’s crafted so carefully," she added. "I think it’ll always have a place because it’s a really solid place to start the evening."
