Dan Lobb Visit

A talk from the famous Dan Lobb

Higher education and level 3, second year Film and TV production students had a welcome visit from TV star, Dan Lobb.

Dan Lobb is a retired tennis player and television presenter, best known for co-presenting the ITV Breakfast programme Daybreak. He has also presented numerous shows such as Cowboy Builders, Sky News, Sky Sports News and GMTV. He has also been a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, The Chase and Britain’s Secret Treasures. He visited Southend City College and spoke to students about his experience as a TV presenter and his past experiences in TV.

Dan told us: “My first big break was at Sky Sports, I worked in sports broadcasting for many years at Sky News as well on the sports desk there. About a year after that, I found myself at ITV and I started working on the breakfast shows, ITV again on sport, but that developed into a lot more and eventually I became the main presenter. I then left ITV and spent a few years freelancing, working on shows for channel 5 and lots of other bits and pieces in between, including some radio. After that, had the opportunity to make my own documentary and that's what I did.”

Dan showed the students a reel about all his past work, and offered lots of advice, saying: “Don't panic. You've got so much time to find out what it is that you want to do. I wish I'd been a little bit more open to various things when I was younger, but yes, certainly don't panic. Do what you're passionate about. Find something that you love.”

The students were able to gain a first-hand insight into a career in the Film and TV production career path, and ask plenty of questions. The talk was organized some of our HE Film and TV production students.

Dan also told the students: “Confidence comes in different forms and in different areas of life. So, I'm not as confident in an area of my personal life as I am, say, in my professional life. And there are areas within the professional arena that I'm not as confident. Ultimately, when you are involved in something which requires some kind of confidence, whether it's public speaking or talking as a leader in in front of your group, or even just within a discussion, for me, the confidence of finding my own voice comes from knowledge and research. When I was broadcasting and presenting, the amount of research that I did before I went on air was huge and that should be the case for anybody who is presenting so that you go on knowing stuff.”

It was an inspiring and motivational visit, and we were honoured to have Dan come along.