TV presenter Louise says “give it a go”

TV presenter Louise Minchin, delivered a talk at the Warrington Campus of the University of Chester which focused on her career in the media and her experiences as a new member of Team GB for her achievements in competitive triathlons.
With the headline “Dare to Tri”, she aimed to motivate and inspire her audience to “just give it a go and put yourself out there…because “you never know what you might be really good at.”
The BBC TV Breakfast presenter, who received an honorary Doctor of Letters from the university in 2014, is used to addressing an audience of around 1.6 million on a daily basis, and took to her packed lecture with the same genuine warmth and pragmatism, to which television viewers are accustomed.
She recalled her most memorable moments as a reporter, which included being on the scene just 24 hours after the Bataclan Theatre terrorist attack in November 2015. She also had to break the news of Colonel Gaddafi’s capture, with just 10 minutes preparation time before she was due to go live on air.
Speaking about her great love and passion for triathlons, Louise referred to the Deva Divas, a short-distance ladies-only triathlon race taking place in Chester.
It was here that Louise first discovered her competitive abilities, coming seventh in her age group and 43rd out of 270 competitors. She also spoke about her experiences in the Dambuster Triathlon and World Championships in Chicago, where she qualified for Team GB. Louise said that she was immensely proud of this achievement and honoured to wear the team’s colours.
Guests at the public lecture included university staff, media students, colleagues from businesses located across the town and wider region and members of the local community.
Pictured:  Professor Annette McIntosh-Scott, Provost of the Warrington Campus, Louise Minchin and Professor Lawrence Bellamy, Deputy Provost of the Warrington Campus.