Polly is a reporter at Good Morning Britain on ITV. As a student at Manchester, she was part of the team that won Fuse TV's first ever NaSTA award, and served as NaSTA Development Officer from 2015 to 2016.
This interview was carried out with Polly when she was a reporter at STV News in Glasgow.
Polly covers news and entertainment across Scotland for STV News. Before that she worked on ITV shows like Lorraine and This Morning. Polly was part of the team that won Fuse TV's first ever NaSTA award, and served as NaSTA Development Officer from 2015 to 2016.
What University did you go to and what subject did you study?
I studied Music and Drama at the University of Manchester.
What Student TV Station were you a part of?
I was a member of Fuse TV and worked as station manager and head of entertainment in my second and third years of university.
Why did you choose to get involved with Student TV?
I've always been obsessed with TV. As a school student I'd spend hours researching how programmes were made and would much rather sit in and watch The X Factor than go out to the pub! I chose Manchester University because of its proximity to MediaCity, and Student TV seemed like a brilliant way to get experience in an industry that's notoriously competitive.
It also just seemed really, really fun.
What was the highlight of your time involved with Student TV?
I think it would be winning Fuse TV's first ever NaSTA. The station was just a few years old when we were awarded Highly Commended in the Open Category in 2016 for our piece on the vigils held in Manchester in tribute to the victims of the Paris terror attacks in 2015.
It was a hard story to cover and the team were commended for their sensitivity.
How has Student TV helped you in your professional life?
The best thing about Student TV is that it gives you the opportunity to do everything: filming, editing, presenting, producing... You name it, at some point, you'll be required to do it! I currently work as a self-shooting journalist which is a multi-skilled job that requires you to do all of the above, so Student TV set me up perfectly for that. It helped me hone the skills and taught me how to effectively manage my time - a crucial part of the job!
The annual NaSTA conference and events also introduced me to valuable contacts who I still turn to for advice.
What did you do after graduating?
After graduating I won a place on the internship scheme at RDF Television in London. RDF produce some of the country's biggest shows, including Tipping Point, The Secret Life of 4-Year-Olds, Location, Location Location, and The Crystal Maze.
The internship is incredible - you start as a runner and get to work with every department in the company (development, factual, entertainment, kids) and they also put you on a camera training course. I loved my time there and after completing my internship was given my first job as a researcher, casting on The Crystal Maze.
From there I moved to a development team at ITV, before moving to ITV Daytime.
What do you do now?
I now work as a reporter for STV News in Glasgow, covering news and entertainment stories across Scotland.
What's been a highlight of your career so far?
I think it would have to be presenting live from the Brits red carpet in February 2020 for the STV News at Six. Or briefing Oprah and Reese Witherspoon when they appeared on Lorraine in 2018... Reese Witherspoon said she liked my boots and I'll never get over that!
What would you say to someone who is currently part of a NaSTA Station and is due to graduate soon?
Don't be afraid to be keen! Passion and enthusiasm can take you a long way - especially when you're a runner. And sell your Student TV experience! What was once your hobby isn't dissimilar from what will soon become your job.
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