Glad we have got all this sexism and stereotyping behind us. Recent interview with Charlotte Jackson. Surely she would be impressive as a presenter now
All-Action Jackson
Author: Nigel Brown
Posted on:25 January 2011 - 16:16
Sky Sports News darling and blonde bombshell Charlotte Jackson is slowly becoming an institution for sports fans up and down the country, claiming her place as the Princess regent to the throne of Queen Georgie Thompson.
While the delectable beauty is not only the apple of our eye each weekday morning, she also has the talent and assets in the locker room as a seasoned broadcast journalist in her own right. Having worked at Teamtalk, Setanta Sports and now Sky Sports News, Miss Jackson has spread her wings by assisting Fenners on âtake it like a fan,â being enjoyed by fans at football grounds up and down the country. If she hasnât visited you yet, get your chants ready gents!
âAll-action Jacksonâ took time out of her busy schedule of breaking news, breaking nails, tea and toast, and terrace trips to chat to us about hangovers on air, Wladimir Klitschoâs magic tricks, dancing with George Clooney, and her love of all things Sport.co.ukâŚ
You are now a TWO-TIME Sport.co.uk âbabe of the weekâ. How does it feel? I hope youâre very flattered by that?
(Giggles.) Oh yeah, very flattered, very flattered, itâs good when you get past 30!
Don't worry you are not vintage yet Charlotte! How much are you enjoying working on SSN (Sky Sports News) and on âtake it like a fanâ?
Yeah itâs brilliant, âtake it like a fanâ is obviously really good to get out and about. Weâre really lucky because we get to look round different stadiums from, Premier League Championship, League one, League two, and beyond. We watch the game, look at all the training facilities, obviously they are so diverse, so it is really interesting.
Actually we went to Brighton last weekend and their moving into their new Stadium next season. Itâs really interesting, weâre quite lucky. Iâve been to so many now this season and we get to watch all the games. For me, and Fenners itâs quite funny, because weâre getting paid, to do it and we really enjoy it.
Itâs your job.
Exactly. (Ha, ha)
From that show, who are your favourite fans?
Theyâve all been really good.
You canât sit on the fence
Honestly, theyâve all been really good. Because obviously when we speak to them, theyâre going to be winning money. Unless theyâre really nervous when weâre walking round the stadium theyâre always giving it a bit.
I havenât had anywhere Iâve thought, these fans arenât very enthusiastic or anything, I actually havenât yet, Iâm sure we will, but not yet.. Everyoneâs been really good.
In your eyes, what is the criteria to be a SSN presenter?
You must be able to read! Iâm only joking (ha-ha)! Basically know your sport, have a wide knowledge of different Sports, obviously most people enjoy watching one more than the others. I would find it bizarre if someone was working on a sports channel and didnât like sport. We all get on really well, itâs really good! A dream!
During the World Cup, all my friends were trying to skive off work but if I was down for a shift we would have to watch the game, which was brilliant. It couldnât get much better really. In the studio we have a big screen on, so even if the games that arenât on telly we can see. We have a pundit in the studio and we can watch the game as well because we have a live feed from it. So thatâs been brilliant as well.
Itâs a good job. Actually itâs a great job. You lucked out young lady.
Yeah, (ha-ha!) I am a lucky girl.
Who are the King and Queen of the Sky Sports news studio?
Georgie has been there the longest, so Georgie.
So Georgieâs Queen Bee, quite rightly so.
Yeah, exactly. I donât know which guy has been there the longest.
Is there anyone who stands out as a leader in the newsroom?
Maybe Ed Chamberlain, I like Ed.
Yeah heâs a nice guy isnât he, a gent.
Yeah heâs so nice, heâs a good lad.
Are there any bad habits in the studio?
Not that I know of, because we normally have the same partner, so to speak, when weâre on air. Itâs quite funny sometimes we have to eat our lunch if weâre on the 10 AM - 3 PM shift, in the break. So as soon as itâs a break weâll suddenly start eating really quickly! Obviously you donât want to get caught with your mouth full!
That would be a sight.
(Ha-ha). Um bad habits, no not really, not that I know of, no one has been making smells that they shouldnât be while theyâve been on air! (Ha-ha) so thatâs all good. And long may it continue.
Whoâs your partner of choice?
Um, because I started doing â take it like a fanâ my shift changed a lot, it used to be Ed all the time and now I actually have quite a mix of people.
Fair enough, would Ed be your favourite or are you keeping your options open?
(Ha ha). I like working with them all, I like working with Ed and with Simon, and Julian Warrenâs lovely, theyâre all nice, Robâs very funny. Oh and Jim White, I always have a really good laugh when Iâm on air with Jim. Itâs quite nice, Iâve found I mix it up a a little bit, because obviously you get to know them. Different guys are nice for different reasons. Thatâs the way of the world.
Indeed. On to business. Itâs the January transfer window which is a busy time for everyone, who is the man in the office with the best inside knowledge?
Well Brian Swansonâs our chief news reporter so he comes on and does the tough screen with Dharmesh, itâs a new touch screen, so they obviously come on and do most of the updates. Jim Whiteâs always on the phone, he jokingly did that Edwardian advert.
I think myself and Ed, and then Georgie and Jim are on, on transfer deadline day. But Brian Swanson and Jim are the main ones. We also have the newsrooms and theyâre constantly saying so and so is about to sign for this much for four years or whatever. It all depends how exciting it is on how much activity there is. The last one was a bit disappointing.
Whatâs the atmosphere like when a story breaks, can you remember one particular story that really got you excited?
I was on air with the Darren Bent episode recently and that was not necessarily exciting but it was so out the blue and such a surprise. Quite often we will have one that might be about to break, but we canât say anything because weâre not one hundred per cent sure, and then it will come. Any breaking news story is quite exciting and it does get the newsroom buzzing. Sometimes, especially on Mondays there can be not much happening and it can be a bit monotonous but as soon as something happens itâs really good.
Do you get a personal buzz from breaking it?
Yeah, of course. Itâs a real thrill working at SSN.
Do you think that Twitter is becoming a big threat to Sky Sports News, as the first place breaking sports news?
I think it kind of works alongside it. Loads of us are on Twitter. I think it depends how often you look at twitter as well, if youâre at home youâre not gonna sit in front of Twitter if Sky Sports News is on, so youâre gonna put the telly on, and you might have it on next to you. Thereâs such a mix, I think itâs good as well because it kind of helps us, we can read stuff off it.
Another source for the SSN team then?
Yeah, exactly.
Do your bosses monitor your Tweets?
I would imagine so (ha ha), weâve never been told.
Have you ever had a slap on the wrist or anything?
No, I havenât.
Who has had a slap on the wrist?
No, I donât think anyone has yet (ha ha). I imagine they probably do monitor us. Weâre not going to write something we shouldnât write, youâve got to be aware of what your position is and what you should or shouldnât be writing on it.
So you havenât slipped into the controversial, yet?
No, not yet. I can understand why footballers do, because they can get annoyed and they tweet it and they obviously then get fined for it or whatever. A manager can speak in a post-match press conference and say something about the Referee, but then if a player does it, he gets fined.
Whoâs your favourite person that youâre following at the moment or you are just starting to follow?
Entertainment wise, Robbie Savage is quite funny. I should be doing a âgrass-rootsâ football event with him in June, which will be quite amusing. Heâs obviously very funny but youâve got to take him a little tongue in cheek because I know some people can get really wound up by him, but itâs purely banter, heâs not taking himself seriously. When we met him on âtake it like a fanâ he was hilarious. I do get surprised about how often some people tweet, there watching a game and theyâre tweeting all the time and Iâm like how can you be watching the game properly, itâs quite funny. All the Journalists are tweeting as well.
How to relax after a hard day at the office...
How do you guyâs manage to be on air and tweet?
Oh we never do that (Ha-ha)
Weâve noticed, itâs pretty clever the way youâre doing that
We do have computers in front of us but we donât really tweet, unless thereâs an advert break.
Whatâs been your favourite interview since youâve been on Sky Sports news that youâve done?
On Sky Sports News we have done quite a lot of phone interviews, but I think itâs quite exciting when we get people in the studio. When David Haye came in after winning his fight it was very exciting introducing him and it was quite funny as off-screen he was having some chips and was like, I havenât had chips for ages! I think itâs quite good to see the background stuff. I used to quite like Sundays but I donât really do them anymore but we used to have people like Tony Gale and then having the banter when weâre on a break, when theyâre on for pundits to give us updates with the matches.
I like them all but I prefer doing football interviews so itâs quite good when people come in, I do other stuff now like the European Pro Tour Golf. To be fair what I really enjoy doing is âtake it like a fanâ when we go and speak to players and speak to managers and try and get a different angle on it and get their personality out more, thatâs always really good. Malky Mackay is the nicest Manager ever, I think heâs lovely, he made us tea and sandwiches.
Whatâs your most embarrassing moment, on air?
I got the giggles once, thatâs quite embarrassing but in a break when we have three minutes to run to the loo we have to get our mics off, run to the loo and then come back and mic back up.
I remember in a break running out and just falling slam on the studio floor, obviously it wasnât on camera but Tony Gale was there being a pundit and he was cracking up and I had to hobble to the loo come back and then Tony Gale decides to announce on air what happened. I was like, thanks.
How do you guys manage with hangovers?
Well I donât drink, I havenât for a year and a half. When I was at Setanta, I drank and I remember we had a Setanta night out because we were up for an award for something and we were at this ceremony and the guy from the wedding channel was like come out with us afterwards, and he took us to Stringfellowâs and my friend Anne was trying to take photos but she was getting told not to, she wasnât taking pics of the girls. I remember that was quite a heavy night and I was on the next day and I remember it being the longest four hours of my life. I was trying to concentrate and I remember thinking, it must be obvious that your eyes are glazed and half-closed, I had a lot of cups of tea and a lot of toast. And, a bacon sandwhich. Itâs the only way to get through.
Have any of your peers had to vomit or anything in between their bit?
Ah! No, I think theyâd probably call in sick if they were that bad
Do you think this is the most exciting Premier League season, so far, with all the teams that are challenging?
Definitely, how boring is it when you get to the end of the season and Manchester United or someone are so many points ahead? It is exciting that there are so many sides in it, although Manchester United are unbeaten in the League so far this season and they still have âgames in-handâ so you canât see past them, but they have still got to play quite a few of the teams that are challenging for the top spot. But yeah I think itâs much better, much more exciting both ways, that and the relegation.
Have you got any tips for who you think will go down?
I think West Ham arenât looking too good.
Are you condemning the Hammers?
I kind of would, yeah. I love Ian Holloway I think heâs a brilliant character, I think itâs quite rare that most of the teams that come up, look like theyâre gonna stay up, potentially. I think theyâre like tenth or something and Iâm pleased to see theyâre doing well. I think it is close because even though West Ham are bottom, Liverpool are only six points above them.
Overall I wouldnât like to say, I think itâs going to be very difficult for anyone to predict. Aston Villa are only just above the relegation zone as well which is unusual.
Am I right in saying that youâre a Liverpool fan?
Yeah, you are.
What do you make of the situation at Anfield, is King Kenny the man?
Yeah I think heâll bring motivation back to the players, heâs been there before and heâs got the backing of everyone. We need to sign some players and there seems to be a different atmosphere there. He has just got to get the players looking hungry again.
Who would you like to see him sign in the window?
Iâd like to see him sign someone to help Torres. I think it was last season when we were in the market for Carlos Tevez and Iâm so gutted we didnât sign him.
He would have scored quite a few goals.
And thatâs what weâre obviously lacking and when Xabi Alonso went we didnât really fill that void, at one point I was worried but I donât think weâll go down. I think this seasonâs written off, in the fact that weâre maybe not going to be challenging for a Europa League place, Iâm being that pessimistic about it.
So just stay up and then consolidate?
Yeah exactly.
Just stepping out for milk...
Youâve obviously been round quite a few grounds with âtake it like a fanâ, whatâs your snack of choice at the footy?
I do like the Burgers, but weâve been having a lot of the pies.
Whereâs the best pie?
The best hospitality I found, which is not necessarily pies was Eastlands, who have a whole room full of food with anything you could possibly want from roast dinners, to soup, to pies, to chocolate, this is the press room of dreams! Itâs the best press room ever and then they had every drink, including beer, so if you wanted a beer, thereâs beer, and it had cupcakes, everything!
When we were there it was the only day are camera broke, which is fine because we had a replacement one sent up, so it just meant we had to sit in that room and eat, it was brilliant. I think thereâs an award for the best hospitality and Manchester City won the award for last season and I think they took it off Arsenal because the Gunners used to win it, apparently. We always try out the pies normally.
Thatâs awesome. If you ever had to date another member of the SSN team, who would it be, and why?
Most of them are married.
Itâs a hypothetical question.
I know, I know (ha-ha). You mean youâre not gonna make me go on a date?
If itâs Ed Chamberlin, I would happily oversee that date.
Ahhh, what is it just go to lunch with them? Ed and I went to the racing awards together that was, nice (Ha ha). Ed or Julian Warren, because theyâre both nice and gentlemen.
Who was your TV presenting hero, growing up?
I remember I used to watch Steve Ryder a lot but he wasnât necessarily a hero, I donât know, I didnât really have one. I used to like watching football, obviously I loved Ian Rush! Liverpool legend!
What was it about Rushy that you loved, all the goals?
Yeah, the tash actually (ha) I used to think him and John Aldridge because they looked slightly similar, itâs just the tash (ha). I was really excited when I got to meet him and I got to interview him, that was on Setanta though. When I was really young I wanted to be a Doctor.
You wanted to be a Doctor?
Yeah. Donât sound surprised!
What happened to that dream?
Well basically my Dad was a Doctor and my Granddad, so thatâs what I did to get it into University and I did it for a year and then changed my mind, I couldnât stand the sight of blood and cutting everything up which obviously isnât very good and I didnât want to be a GP, I wanted to specialize. Eventually I was quite surprised that they were actually alright with me stopping it.
Thatâs a pretty drastic career change.
Yeah, so I could have been a Doctor right now, operating.
I think youâre quidâs in with Sky Sports.
Yeah, definitely. (Ha ha)
Whoâs the most famous person youâve met and what did you say to them?
Um, I donât know.
Normally at this stage the babe says some form of rapper, like a Jay Z.
Iâve never met a rapper.
Youâve havenât met Jay Z or anyone like that?
No but Iâd like to meet Eminem, Marshal Mathers, I quite fancy him, I donât know why, itâs a bit weird, isnât it?
No, whatever floats your boat.
No, and I like Camilo Villegas. Ah, heâs amazing! Iâve never met him though either, so he might be disappointing in real life.
Oh Iâve met George Clooney.
Youâve met George Clooney! What did you say to him?
I had a little dance with him.
You danced with him! Who initiated the dancing?
It was ages ago, he was having an after party and I was with my boyfriend at the time and he knew the people he was with, so we just sort of danced, it wasnât like hey fancy a dance? (ha ha).
He does have a penchant for British TV presenters, having been out with Lisa Snowdon so you could be next?
He also likes waitresses though.
He likes waitresses?
Yeah.
Donât we all?
(Ha ha). Yeah the last few girlfriends heâs had Iâm sure have been waitresses from America. I got quite excited when I met John Barnes for the first time and Ian rush, things like that and then Wladimir Klitschko, I liked meeting him.
What was Wladimir like? Was he a character?
Yeah he was brilliant, I met him at Setanta and he came out for a drink with me and my friend and he started doing magic tricks all night and he was telling us he used to work in a Circus.
Classic Jackson...
What? Thatâs amazing!
I know how random is that. My friendâs boyfriend had been laid up as heâd had surgery on his back and it was his first sort of coming out night, as we called it, the first night out since heâd got better. I said to my friend, I think this guy might turn up. Itâs Wladimir Klitschko and they said whatâs he like? So I said heâs massive, you will know him as soon as he walks in. My friend went oh my god, is that him? This massive guy with a long coat on walked in and my friend Nancy was like great Iâm going to challenge him to an arm wrestle. Then he did loads of magic tricks such as disappearing coins, rings, watches and cards, it was very funny. Very Random! But funny!
That is very random, is there any message for the Sport.co.uk readers, now that youâre a two time babe of the week?
Keep reading Sport.co.uk, itâs brilliant!
Indeed it is, thanks very much, really appreciate it. Always fun chatting to a true SSN legend.