Alex Jones ‘too scared’ as young girl to admit she wanted to be on TV

By Sean O'Grady, Press Association Deputy Entertainment Editor

Alex Jones has said she was “too scared” to admit she wanted to work in television as a young girl.

The broadcaster, 49, is best known for presenting BBC’s The One Show since 2010 but, growing up in Carmarthenshire, South Wales, she never believed such a career would be possible.

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.”

Recalling a day when 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.”

Jones became a TV researcher after university but was sacked twice, including once for mistaking the singer Mike Peters from the band The Alarm for a workman who was in the office to fix an alarm.

At age 21, she was asked to audition by a producer in front of the camera and began presenting on BBC Choice as well as Welsh language channel S4C.

The One Show will celebrate its 20th anniversary this month with a week of special programmes.

Alex and co-host Roman Kemp will lead coverage in the studio while there will also be segments from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as some of the show’s memorable stories are revisited.

Jones believes the show has continued to be a success 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.

“I think it’ll always have a place because it’s a really solid place to start the evening.”