A life in news, an audience with the Prime Minister, and going viral with Formula 1 giant Lewis Hamilton: the fast and curious career of NTU alum Christian Hewgill
There's a famous maxim that goes something like: the harder I work, the luckier I get. It's one that could have been written to describe Christian Hewgill.
The former NTU Centre for Broadcasting & Journalism (CBJ) graduate has a successful career in both TV and radio.
Even if you don't know the name, you'll likely know the voice.
As with so many of life’s ‘overnight success stories’, in reality, luck had very little to do with Christian Hewgill’s prominence on the airwaves.
Following graduation in 2013, he got his first break at Notts TV, the local news channel. Then came roles as a journalist working for local BBC radio and television, before Christian joined BBC Radio 1’s flagship current affairs programme, Newsbeat.
Not bad for a lad who by his own admission, was the first in his family to go to university, and who modestly claims not to be ‘overly academic’.
We're itching to talk to Christian about his current venture – a Formula 1 motorsport podcast presented alongside Radio 1’s Greg James.
There’s also that famous interview with racing legend Lewis Hamilton.
It went viral. In a big way. Around the world. As you’re about to find out, that’s a story in itself.
It would be easy to assume Christian has always been, what you might call, driven.
“I wasn't a riotous student, if that's what you're going to ask,” he says.
“But I did live and breathe journalism, radio and TV. It was easy to do, considering the amazing place you have there at CBJ.”
As a reporter at Notts TV, one of Christian’s standout memories is of attending a football club press conference.
"It was Notts County," he says. "I’m sat there, waiting to get a quote from their then manager Ricardo Moniz. It’s nearing my time to interview him, but I become aware that my mobile phone just keeps ringing.”
When Christian finally finds the least awkward time to answer, he picks up to hear a very concerned Notts TV news editor.
"Drop everything you're doing,” he says.
"The Prime Minister [at this point, David Cameron] is in Nottingham. You're doing the interview."
Christian does indeed remember dropping everything (we’re still not sure if Ricardo Moniz has ever forgiven him) and rushes to another part of town. A slot with the PM awaits.
His life in broadcasting appears to have continued at a similar, frenetic pace. And he’s keen to tell us one thing very early on – despite appearances, nothing comes easy.
“Coming out of CBJ, I think I was blessed with this confidence,” Christian says. “But you still need to hustle. Things might almost land in your lap, or nearly miss your lap – but you always need to have your lap open. Hang on, that sounds a bit weird!”
It certainly sounds very glamorous.
“I’m sure it does,” he says. “But when you’re hunched in a corner in Crewe, in two-degree weather, trying to edit a piece for Radio 1 and sheltering from the rain, no it isn’t. But then, if you’re about to deliver one of your first sports reports on the station as part of Nick Grimshaw’s show, it feels very surreal.”
After ten years of working as a news and sports journalist, Christian was ready for something different.
“During my time in the industry,” he says philosophically, “we’ve lived through stories like the cost of living crisis, the divisions of Brexit, the war in Ukraine. Mentally, it took a lot to do it justice and I was ready for a change. That came in the form of one of my great passions – motorsport and Formula 1.”
Christian’s podcast – The Fast and the Curious – presented alongside Betty Glover and Greg James – has been running since February. It’s already covered some impressive ground.
“It all came about after I’d audaciously pitched an idea to Radio 1’s Newsbeat," he remembers. "I’d asked if they’d pay for me to travel to Bahrain to cover the start of the 2022 Formula 1 season.
They said yes, and that decision changed my life.
After a while, the official Formula 1 podcasting team took an interest, and a year later, Christian was commissioned to produce a show called F1 Explains.
“A while later, I’d got to know Greg James, having presented the news on his Radio 1 show. Realising I was about to leave the BBC, he decided we should keep in touch – and start our own F1 podcast.”
Given its subject matter, and the combined talent of its three presenters, that podcast has become as successful as you might expect. However, one interaction – between Christian and Formula 1 racing legend Lewis Hamilton – was to go viral. It's since been watched by over two million people.
“Lewis has always been very supportive of the LGBTQ+ community, and I just decided he needed thanking,” Christian says.
“The world of TV, radio, and sports journalism felt a long way away when I was growing up. Especially as, at the age of 14 or 15, I suspected I might be gay. Having spent many years hiding my sexuality, it just didn’t feel possible to become a sports journalist and be openly gay at the same time – there were no role models.
"You saw so few presenters – especially male – opening up about their sexuality in those days. Having known there was at least one other sports presenter out there – who was openly gay – that would have helped enormously.”
“So here I was, about to interview Lewis Hamilton, this mythical figure in sport, one of the biggest names ever. I was very aware of how supportive and vocal he’d been about LGBTQ+ issues in the past, and as a Formula One fan just wanted to say thank you.”
“His response just floored me. He said how much respect he had for me and my journey, and how hard it must have been for me! It was just overwhelming. I still cringe when I look at it now, because I just remember yelping ‘yep!’ back at him.”
Christian is clearly loving his life as a successful podcaster.
“Even if I was to win the lottery tomorrow,” he says, “nothing would change – it’s not about the money, but feeling fulfilled. It also helps that I’m getting to meet so many of my Formula 1 heroes.
"I probably have to pinch myself at least once a week these days, as so many incredible things have happened.”
@ChrisHewgill
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