OK where to start... My incredible experience on "Search For A Presenter 2006" and the success I had with it created an overwhelming ambition to move into TV Presenting full time.. and now the chance to spend everyday of my life entertaining the nation is a dream I can see.

I took on board all the training and advice from Brian and Darren (of the Television Training Academy), and pursued agents, television companies and even private commissions, to gain experience.  I found the private commissions a great experience, although most of them were unpaid, but  you cannot buy experience and education.  (Well not yet anyway!!).

I also received a lot of help and encouragement from Val Haydon of Glamourjob.com  who called me to offer me other presenting opportunities.  Just think how amazing that is having so many people believe in you so much having come from obscurity!

A few months after Search For A Presenter 2006, even though I didn't actually win the show I received a call from Life TV,  who offered me the chance to audition for the pilot of their new show "Dress My Mate".  I grabbed the opportunity  with so much gusto as I  knew that this was my chance to give back to Life TV all the training, belief and dedication they offered me just a few months before.

Well, what a show..... both myself and a co-host Jill Kenton helped create a GREAT show which will be fun to watch. The added beauty was Life TV allowing me to inject my own character and personality to the show, which I believe I did successfully.

The first show  was broadcast on November 15th at 8pm on Sky channel 139,

One year ago, all of this was just a dream....   My top tip for anyone thinking of TV Presenting is...Believe in yourself, strive for what you dream about and enjoy the experience that you create.


Adam-John Ridgeway

Search for a Presenter 2006 was the best experience of my life in the Television world. It was a week of highs and lows and most definitely the learning I needed to grow into the TV presenter I always wanted to be.

I made the final 10 which was exhilarating , But I did not get  placed first which I assumed would mean that I would not be placed with Life TV for any upcoming job, but 2 days after the live final I was telephoned by Life TV offering me a show which they were working on.

Last week (October) I have completed a show with Life TV called "Dress My Mate" with a fellow competitor of Search for a Presenter called Adam Ridgeway.

Adam and I also worked together on another job called THE MORNING SOURCE ( for Ravensbourne College) in June. This was a day time morning show which we co-presented together, this consisted of Autocue, interviews and with all studio work, ear pieces. Again we could not have felt at ease within this job without our training and experience that we received from Search for a Presenter.

I have also worked on a pilot last month (September) for the BBC called Manies and worked on voice reels which will hopefully offer me some work within the voiceover world too. This is available on my website, www.jillkenton.co.uk which will also by the end of October be streaming online my up to date show reel (including work from THE MORNING SOURCE and DRESS MY MATE).

I do hope that Dress My Mate will be a platform for further work and also we will be re-commissioned to do a further series with Life TV.

I thoroughly recommend Search For a Presenter 2007 as a GREAT opportunity for your BIG break in TV!!

Jill Kenton