RULING THE AIRWAVES - ‘I'M NOT IMMUNE TO HAVING DARKER DAYS'

DJ AND PRESENTER VICK HOPE REFLECTS ON THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES OF THE PANDEMIC HER FABULOUS NEW ROLE AT RADIO AND HER STRICTLY REGRETS

- KIRSTY NUTKINS

As 2021 draws to a close, many of us will be patting ourselves on the back for simply surviving another challenging year. But for Vick Hope, the past 12 months have been some of her most successful to date. The presenter published her second children’s book, Shout Out: Use Your Voice, Save The Day! with her former Capital Breakfast colleague Roman Kemp in January. And in September she landed the role of co-host on BBC Radio 1’s Drivetime show alongside Jordan North.

In between, she’s fitted in more episodes of her popular Radio 1 series Life Hacks with her friend Katie Thistleton, helped to judge the Women’s Prize For Fiction and launched a podcast on BBC Sounds – Songs To Live By – to celebrate Black voices and experiences.

As we chat over Zoom, it’s easy to see how Vick, 32, packs so much in – she is bursting with energy, talking rapidly about her projects with an infectious enthusiasm. And it’s no doubt these qualities that have helped propel the Cambridge graduate to the top, making the transition from MTV reporter to one of radio’s biggest stars in little more than a decade.

Here, she chats about the pitfalls of fame, dealing with online bullies and how she’s coped with serious mental health challenges…

Vick, you’ve had such a busy year! Are you enjoying your new role at Radio 1?