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| Harry
now has a year under his belt, returning to front ‘Look North’ in 1999
after a 5 year break. He says himself that he’s now much more confident as a broadcaster, realising the role he plays in making television news programmes informative and entertaining. Harry strongly believes that the viewer must feel at home with the person they invite into their home every night, when they turn on their TV: "But the poor souls get me looking back at them!" During Harry’s break from this region, he tried out a professional job with a sport he’d followed for years: Rugby League Football. In 1994, he became their Public Affairs Executive ... and returned to broadcasting soon after. He says it was a year he’ll always remember ... BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Match of the Day and Grandstand tempted him back, and four years followed with South Today, where this northern boy was taken right into the hearts of those Southerners! Harry’s journey to where he is now began most unusually. He was a history teacher in Yorkshire, and he used school holidays to help out on match reports for Radio Leeds and Humberside. His natural talent was soon spotted and he took a gamble, giving up the teaching for a three month contract as Radio Leeds Sports Editor. There was no stopping him of course – he became a regular reporter and commentator for the BBC’s Olympic and Commonwealth Games coverage, travelling the world for his profession. Harry was one of the BBC team to speed on last year’s Olympics in Sydney. He presented Grandstand and Sportsnight, and got some well-earned recognition for his talent, winning two Royal Television Society Awards for his sport documentaries – White Rose in Africa (1992), and Dickie Bird – A Rare Species (1997). Always ready with a line, Harry presents ‘Look North’ and the Superleague Show, for BBC North. |
Harry Gration