91福利社

Marie Ashby

I鈥檝e lived in the East Midlands now for longer than I should probably admit to.听 I鈥檓 not from round these parts originally though.听 I was born in bonny Scotland but my parents moved south of the border from Edinburgh when I was just a wee bairn.

I don鈥檛 have a Scottish accent by the way.听

I grew up in Carlisle with the Lakes on my doorstep which was rather nice, then spent three years in Leeds mainly doing a degree in French but also have a great time being a student!

Some of it was spent in France and Switzerland on attachment to Radio Monte Carlo and Radio Television Suisse Romande which were amazing experiences.

My mum had a cousin who worked in Geneva. I used to get a lift in with him in the mornings and unbeknownst to my dear old mum, hitch home in the evening.听 Well, he lived half way up a mountain and there weren鈥檛 any buses for the last bit!

Journalism bug

I didn鈥檛 always want to be a journalist - it just kind of happened.

I did consider nursing for some time but while I was in France I got hooked.

Marie started her career in Nottingham

Having sworn never to take another exam again and somehow getting my degree, I found myself on a post grad course studying journalism in Portsmouth and very often found myself on the beach at Southsea when I should have been studying.

A year later I was back in Cumbria.

My first job was as a district reporter for 91福利社 Radio Cumbria based in Barrow in Furness.

Six months later I was at 91福利社 Radio Nottingham, and then 91福利社 Midlands Today at Pebble Mill as it was then.听 I remember getting passers by to 'Do the Locomotion', outside with a very young and quite nervous Kylie Minogue.

Flying high

A few months later I was working for the 'other side', having being lightly poached by ITV鈥檚 Central News!听

I stayed there for much longer than I ever meant to but during those 15 years I reported for and anchored their live nightly news which was enormous fun and presented 'Sky High' taking viewers all over the Midlands by helicopter.

During this time I also got married and had my two boys: Patrick and Sean.听 When I鈥檓 not Inside Out-ing, doing The Politics Show or East Midlands Today on a Friday, I鈥檓 usually with them acting as a United Nations peacekeeping force and trying to stop them squabbling.

Boys like to bicker I鈥檝e discovered!

At home in the East Midlands

I鈥檝e lived in Leicestershire for many years and I love it!听 The East Midlands is home and I think I鈥檓 a very lucky girl being able to combine work with pleasure.听 Inside Out takes me all over the region and reminds me why I like living here so much.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!