Reggie Yates on documentary making and why he won’t be going back to kid’s TV

published 30 October 2017

Reggie Yates = makes good TV

You’ll recognise Reggie Yates from his years on TV an radio (yeah, he’s been in the industry since he was eight), but his latest BBC series The Insider has given him (and his subjects), a global voice and a legion of new fans. From entering a jail in North Carolina, to getting an injury from Pharrells’s giant ring (yes, you read that correctly), Reggie has seen A. Lot.

Starting out in kids TV, namely The Crust (!), before transitioning into the sort of iconic programmes that helped defined a generation - sorry, The Crust, this time I'm talking about Top of the Pops, the creative polymath soon started making waves in documentary making, thanks to his supremely likeable, yet unwavering ability to ask the sort of questions that only a Reggie-esque figure could get away with. Genuine, in every sense of the word, emphatic, and raw, his latest The Insider series is a must watch.

The Insider is available on iPlayer now. Unseen – My Journey by Reggie Yates is published by BBC Books on 26 October, £18.99.

Before this, came years of interviewing A-list names (no, he doesn't get starstruck thanks to some sage advice early on in his career), helping contestants navigate their way through a horror-themed forest in Release The Hounds, and most recently, trying (and failing) to get the good folk at Starbucks to recognise that his name is REGGIE. Not Rich.

From his latest series, to his new book Unseen, which uncovers the story behind the scenes on his journey from TV host to documentary storyteller, Reggie Yates is thoroughly on the up and up...

Holly Rains is the digital editor of Marie Claire UK. She has over 10 years journalism experience, working as an editor and writer, specialising in digital media, content strategy and dog breeds. Prior to Marie Claire, she has held senior staff positions at ELLE UK, Grazia and Company magazine.

Holly is a frequent speaker, panelist and interviewer on a range of subjects including media trends, careers and entertainment. From working with Reuters to provide global red carpet coverage for events like the BAFTAs, to discussing fashion and beauty trends on network TV, she was also the host of the Marie Claire series ‘Holly’s First Dates’, where she regularly interviewed a mix of inspiring woman and A-list celebrities (including Jack Black, Dakota Fanning and Renée Zellweger) - a series which garnered half a million views in its first two months. And was approved by The Rock.

Her love of office-based meetings means that the days of discovering the melting point of Cadbury's Flakes are long gone, but when she isn't dreaming of scheduling in meetings, she likes to think about social media, and how best to avoid it whilst still retaining the title of 'digital' editor. She also likes learning about emerging technology, Influencers and how to become a Financially Responsible Adult.

Contact Holly: holly.rains@futurenet.com

Marie Claire Newsletter