Charlie George: BA Hons Media Performance

Charlie George

BA Hons Media Performance, 2002

“I am a presenter on MAX TV shopping channel.”

Charlie has just landed a job as a presenter on MAX TV. Launched in 2005, MAX TV is a new shopping channel found on Sky Digital 669 or on the web at www.max.tv. They cater for anyone with a passion for games and gadgets. Charlie’s job involves researching and testing new products and then preparing and presenting them for TV. Commenting on her new role, Charlie said: “I’ve always had a thing for gadgets and computers, and I now have a larger collection than Inspector Gadget!”

Charlie graduated from the University of Luton in 2002 with a 2:1 in Media Performance. She had always wanted to work in the media and was excited to find the perfect course at Luton. Charlie said: “I really enjoyed the course; it was exactly the right course for me and I met some great people. It also helped to build my confidence, and changed my mind about the industry being strictly about who you knew. Meeting lots of different people with the same ambitions made me realise my aim was achievable if I worked hard enough.”

Charlie has lots of good memories of her time at Luton; making good friends and some great nights out. Another high point was presenting on the University’s own radio station, Luton FM, which gave her great live performance experience. She also enjoyed acting in her special project performance ‘The Ivory Tower’, which despite the hard work and late nights, was a fantastic experience.

After graduating from the University of Luton in 2002, Charlie moved back to her home town of Wolverhampton, and for the next year modelled freelance for Pirelli tyres. This involved travelling around the world with the World Rally Championships. She said: “It was great being photographed next to fast cars and getting a suntan.” Charlie was then promoted to event media officer for the team. She stayed in this role for a year but then decided that she still really wanted to work in TV, so went back to freelance modelling and attended numerous castings and auditions.

After another year of doing freelance work and voice over's, Charlie got a small acting part in a drama for ITV after a director remembered her from some extra work she had done. It was shortly afterwards that she saw an advert in Stage magazine for MAX TV. They were based in the Midlands and were looking for someone who liked gadgets, so she thought she would apply.

They liked Charlie’s letter and she was sent an audition time. Unfortunately, she couldn’t make the time allocated and they couldn’t fit her in at a later time so she resigned herself to missing the audition. However, Charlie had a feeling she shouldn’t give up on this one, so on audition day she drove to the studio on the off chance they would fit her in. “Thankfully they agreed to see me briefly and the next day I got a call offering me the job. I couldn’t believe that my instinct had been so right,” she said.

Charlie plans to continue to work hard and be successful in her career but most of all, be happy and healthy!

In February 2006 Charlie married racing driver Aaron Scott whom she met whilst working at Pirelli.

Interview updated in 2006