A brand-new podcast and You Tube channel focussed on a different side of Yorkshire launches this month – with listeners and viewers treated to a regular dose of unusual, poignant and downright quirky interviews with people and faces from across the region.
“Yorkshire Talks “brings together reality TV star and presenter Matt Jameson with the award-winning broadcast journalist Christine Talbot.
Although on paper they may seem an unlikely paring, coming from the two differing worlds of news and reality television, Matt and Christine have been good friends for many years, having first met through their charity work.
The show launches on Spotify and You Tube and other platforms on Friday 15th November, and, over the next eight weeks, features some fascinating Yorkshire people with stories with a difference to tell.
“Yorkshire Talks” will be delving into the lives and the quirkier side of a new generation of Yorkshire’s famous faces and what makes them tick. It’s also a funny, honest and candid take on some of the county’s much-loved personalities.
Christine has been a familiar face on screens in the region for thirty years, as co-anchor of ITV Yorkshire’s nightly Calendar news programme as well as many other shows.
Charity worker and, host and presenter Matt came to fame three years ago as one half of the first ever LBGTQ couple to feature on the hugely popular Channel Four reality show “Married at First Sight UK”. The show puts together couples, who meet each other for the first time at the altar. Matt and his new husband, Dan were the series first ever gay couple.
The first episode of Yorkshire Talks features the Barnsley born You Tube sensation, Danny Malin, star of the hugely popular “Rate My Takeaway” You Tube channel.
Known for his cheery persona, the former butcher now has more than 750,000 channel subscribers. However here he talks openly and candidly for the first time to Matt and Christine about the challenges he has faced both personally and professionally.
Danny is joined by his wife, journalist and fellow You Tube star Sophie Mei Lan Malin and baby daughter Athena. They tell Matt and Christine about Danny’s experience of emotional abuse, online trolling, loneliness and the challenges of life with a large, blended family.
Other guests later in the series include the former teacher and England women’s rugby star, turned Sky, Channel Four and BBC sports commentator Danika Priim, as well as Leeds born BBC Apprentice winner Rachel Woolford.
As well as talking about their love of Yorkshire, the guests chat to Matt and Christine about their personal challenges, as well as stories about their interesting lives. Danika talks of her identity crisis after leaving rugby and recalls how a difficult childhood gave her the drive to fulfil her dreams and Rachel is candid about her struggles in coming to terms with being a businesswoman suddenly thrust into the media spotlight after being named Lord Sugar’s Apprentice winner this year.
The pair will also be joined by other Yorkshire stars and personalities, including presenter and speaker Stephanie Hirst and Matt’s “Married at First Sight” co-star Marilyse Corrigan, who is also part of the legendary Batley Variety Club empire.
Marilyse and Matt tell all about the true story behind reality TV. Interior Design Masters star, designer Siobhan Murphy, model and midlife campaigner Rachel Peru and disability campaigner and businessman. Andrew Simister who turned his life around in the most horrific of circumstances, are also guests in future episodes.
The podcast and channel are produced by Simon Fogal of the renowned Chapter 81 studios in Leeds.
Matt said:” Being a proud Yorkshireman it just made sense to create this podcast, where we can talk to the people that make our great county the diverse and varied place it is - full of heart! Working with Christine is a dream, we both have a passion for people, places and an infectious thirst for fun and laughter. Get ready for some fabulous guests, interesting insights and learning a few things you never knew before.”
Christine said: “As a journalist I’m naturally nosy and I love chatting to people and finding out their stories – the podcast format is fantastic for a really good in-depth chat with fascinating guests.
“Matt has introduced me to people from Yorkshire who have such interesting stories to tell but are not always on the traditional radar. They make up the next generation of Yorkshire personalities and everyone is fun and colourful with a brilliant story to tell. Matt and I may seem an unlikely pairing, but I hope our long-time friendship and sense of fun also shines through and we look forward to meeting many new people on Yorkshire Talks.”
You can catch Yorkshire Talks from Friday November 15th on Spotify or any of the usual podcast platforms, or on You Tube @YorkshireTalks
