BBC Look North’s weather presenter and De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) graduate can now add co-presenting the spring series of the popular rural affairs show, Countryfile Spring Diaries, to her long list of career achievements.
Keeley Donovan, who graduated from DMU’s Media Studies programme in 2004, is presenting the BBC One programme daily this week, exploring the British countryside during springtime.
She joins Countryfile Diaries veteran John Craven to bring viewers the best of the British countryside, as well as regular Countryfile presenter Joules Hudson, Paul Martin of Flog It! and T4’s Margherita Taylor.
The 33-year-old said: “I love working as a weather presenter and it seems to be a subject that everyone is interested in.
“My work and studies have taught me how climate and weather go hand in hand with seasonal changes, but it has been interesting hearing from farmers and other people what the knock-on effects can be.
“It’s been a fascinating journey learning new things, such as the different conditions that certain crops and species need in order to thrive.”
Keeley started her broadcast career at just 14 years old, presenting for a cable TV station in her hometown of Grimsby.
She has worked for the BBC since 2005 and as well as presenting the weather on BBC Look North, she also presents news bulletins and the regional current affairs programme Inside Out.
In praise of the practical experience she gained during her time at DMU, Keeley said: “Even though my course was largely theory-based, certain modules gave us the valuable opportunity to work with various media equipment.
Grasping the importance of work experience early on, Keeley spent her student summers seeking out internships with media production and publishing companies.
“Work experience gives you that extra edge when you start looking for jobs once you graduate. One fruitful placement with a TV company I managed to secure through DMU really helped to boost my confidence.”
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As well as being an educational experience, Keeley described her student days as ‘a chance to develop long-lasting friendships’.
She said: “I made some of my closest friends at university, ones that I still chat to daily and see regularly.
Keeley also reflects fondly on her experiences as a student in Leicester, saying: “Leicester is great city to study in. It’s diverse with new cultures to immerse yourself in and the fantastic outdoor market where my friends and I used to get all our fruit and veg from.
“I loved my time at DMU from the learning to the fun times at the student union. I have great memories of Saturday nights at the Big Cheese and Thursday nights at Kinky Afro!”
Posted on Monday 16 May 2016