Laura's opportunity is well presented

Laura Naylor, from Lostock Hall, has landed a gig presenting the midday show, five days a week on Abu Dhabi’s Radio 2. Like it’s famous BBC namesake, the English-language station will feature a mixture of pop, chat and celebrity interviews.

“I’m extremely excited, it’s a new adventure for me”, said the former Brownedge High School pupil.

If Laura looks familiar, it’s because she’s hosted several red carpet events and appeared on TV shows including The Football Weekly Show, QVC and Allplay Live TV Gameshow.

More recently she’s been working as a presenter on London-based community radio Wandsworth Radio, grabbing interviews with the likes of Ant McPartlin, David Tennant and Michael Ball.

The 37-year-old said: “I don’t tend to get nervous interviewing celebrities, because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I’m a huge fan of The Overtones, so interviewing both my favourite members was one of my best moments, and I’ve heard that Olly Murs will be out in Abu Dhabi, so I’ll have to grab him too.”

Laura said she wants to inspire young performers, having worked her way up from a BTech in Performing Arts at Preston College and amateur dramatic work at Preston Playhouse Theatre.

She said: “You have to promote yourself a lot. You can get an agent, but I’ve done most of it myself.

“It’s a hard business to go into, so I want other people who might be thinking of doing it know it can be done and to keep going.

“I think the things that make a good presenter are experience and being yourself - not putting on an act. It also helps if you’re a good person.”

Laura flies out to Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, with the presenting contract for two years.

She said: “It doesn’t phase me going on my own, I’ve done a lot of travelling working on cruise ships and I love the sun.

“It’s great experience for me and a great platform. If at the end of two years I come home, then I hope it will lead onto more TV and radio work.”

Links to listen to Laura’s show will be available on her Twitter account @Laurajnaylor and Facebook page.