Laura Sayers
Encyclopedia
Laura Margaret Sayers is the producer of Greg James
, broadcast on BBC Radio 1
.
, England
, where she was educated at The Mount School, York
, Sayers later moved to Glasgow
where she studied for 4 years achieving an MA hons in Theatre and English Language. This is where she had her first experiences in radio at student station Subcity Radio.
, near the end of the traineeship she started working on the Scott Mills
show.
She is well known for public stunts which have involved trying to get an ASBO
, as well as becoming Radio 1's unofficial vigilante against non permit
holders parking in disabled parking spaces or people who do not clean up after their dogs. Laura also appeared on CNN after filming a comical audition to become P Diddy's personal assistant where she dances for him and says, "I loved your work at the Diana concert, you were a-maz-in, you touched me so much and if i'm your PA you can touch me when ever you want, all the time."
As well as being an assistant, Laura occasionally produced shows for Scott Mills, JK and Joel
and Sara Cox
. At the end of March 2008, Laura was promoted to a new position within Radio 1 as producer of Fearne Cotton
and Reggie Yates
' weekend shows, which includes the official chart show. For a time she was the assistant producer of the Nick Grimshaw
show, Monday - Thursdays 10pm-midnight. She produced Huw Stephens
' two Wednesday night shows and subsequently replaced producer Neil as Greg James' producer.
The team decided to carry this feature on again when they next covered for Moyles during January 2006 and began Season 2, entitled "The College Years". This season consisted of many weird and rude codes, and the revalation of her love of her piano teacher in 1996.
'Laura's Diary' became such a hit with Scott's listeners, it was moved to the afternoon show. Season 3 saw Laura meet Ben from her brother's band Monster Sunshine. They tried for a relationship but subsequently she moved to Glasgow for university.
In Season 4, Laura talks of troubles at university and the woes of attempting to have a long distance relationship with Ben. The season ends with Ben dumping Laura by letter.
Mills joked a couple of times during the readings that because Laura was "unlucky in love" he would make it his mission to help her. This led to the hit Radio 1 tour 'One Night With Laura' - an 'X Factor
' style tour of the UK
auditioning suitable boyfriends for Sayers.
, Cardiff
, Nottingham
, Newcastle
and Glasgow
. The contestants had to impress Laura, and a panel of judges, enough for those to decide that they were right for her. This included many strange occurrences such as a contestant lying on a bed of nails and asking Sayers to stand on his back.
On the judging panel was Scott, Laura, her father Stephen and Mark "Chappers" Chapman
. On the last two nights Chapman, who had other commitments, was replaced by Laura's sister, Mary, and Jo Whiley
. The auditionees came and went and were whittled down to just four partners from each of the auditions in Southampton, Cardiff, Nottingham and Newcastle (nobody qualified from Glasgow). These were Ben, James, Gareth and Shep. James was the first person to be voted out by the public.
Each of the final three were paraded on Radio 1 over a week of breakfast shows, participating in tasks and taking part in interviews to try to win over their all important votes. The final took place on 2006-04-07 and saw Gareth from Chard
win the public vote.
Even though he won the overall competition, after he and Laura spent a weekend in Paris
together, it was clear Sayers believed him more of a friend than a boyfriend. She later began dating one of the original contestants (whom she eventually married), James Busson from Chichester
. She'd earlier voiced her disappointment that James did not make it to the final.
Greg James
Greg James may refer to:*Greg James , BBC Radio 1 DJ and broadcaster*Greg James , Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales...
, broadcast on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
.
Background
Originally from YorkYork
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where she was educated at The Mount School, York
The Mount School, York
The Mount School is a Quaker independent day and boarding school in York, England, for girls aged 11–18. It was founded in 1831. Its preparatory school is called Tregelles, and it accepts only girls from 2012 onwards and has a nursery department. There are two or three forms in Year 7 to 11 and...
, Sayers later moved to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
where she studied for 4 years achieving an MA hons in Theatre and English Language. This is where she had her first experiences in radio at student station Subcity Radio.
Radio 1
Laura started at Radio 1 by applying for a BBC Talent production traineeship with Jocelin Stainer from The Chris Moyles ShowThe Chris Moyles Show
The Chris Moyles Show is the current BBC Radio 1 breakfast show in the UK, and has been since Chris Moyles became the station's breakfast show presenter on 5 January 2004. From 2004 to 2007, the show was broadcast 6:55–10:00 am each weekday, but since 15 October 2007 it has started from...
, near the end of the traineeship she started working on the Scott Mills
Scott Mills
Scott Robert Mills is a British radio DJ, television presenter and occasional actor, best known for presenting The Scott Mills Show on BBC Radio 1...
show.
She is well known for public stunts which have involved trying to get an ASBO
Åsbo
Åsbo can refer to:*Åsbo Northern Hundred, a hundred in Scania*Åsbo Southern Hundred, a hundred in Scania...
, as well as becoming Radio 1's unofficial vigilante against non permit
Disabled parking permit
A disabled parking permit, also known as a handicapped permit, disabled placard, disabled badge and "Blue Badge" in the European Union, is displayed upon parking a vehicle carrying a person whose mobility would be otherwise significantly impaired by one or more of age, illness, disability or...
holders parking in disabled parking spaces or people who do not clean up after their dogs. Laura also appeared on CNN after filming a comical audition to become P Diddy's personal assistant where she dances for him and says, "I loved your work at the Diana concert, you were a-maz-in, you touched me so much and if i'm your PA you can touch me when ever you want, all the time."
As well as being an assistant, Laura occasionally produced shows for Scott Mills, JK and Joel
JK and Joel
Jason King and Joel Ross , known professionally as JK and Joel, are a radio show presenters and are best known for hosting the official UK chart on BBC Radio 1 between 2004 and 2007 and then presented on Virgin Radio UK, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at weekends and covering the breakfast and...
and Sara Cox
Sara Cox
Sara Cox , known as "Coxy", is an English TV presenter and radio DJ, most well known for presenting the breakfast show on BBC Radio 1 between 2000 and 2003...
. At the end of March 2008, Laura was promoted to a new position within Radio 1 as producer of Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton is an English television and radio presenter who is known for presenting a number of popular TV programmes such as Top of the Pops and the Red Nose Day telethon. In 2007, she became the first regular female presenter of BBC Radio 1's Chart Show...
and Reggie Yates
Reggie Yates
Reginald "Reggie" Yates is a British actor, television presenter and radio DJ of Ghanaian descent. He went to Central Foundation Boys' School.-Early career:...
' weekend shows, which includes the official chart show. For a time she was the assistant producer of the Nick Grimshaw
Nick Grimshaw
Nicholas Peter "Nick" Grimshaw is a British television and radio presenter. Commonly known as 'Grimmy', he has presented shows for Channel 4, E4, BBC One, BBC Two and Channel 4 youth strand T4...
show, Monday - Thursdays 10pm-midnight. She produced Huw Stephens
Huw Stephens
Huw Stephens is a radio presenter currently broadcasting shows on BBC Radio 1.-Early life and career:Stephens was born in Cardiff, Wales, the son of the author and literary journalist Meic Stephens...
' two Wednesday night shows and subsequently replaced producer Neil as Greg James' producer.
Laura's Diary
During October 2005, when the team were temporarily presenting The Chris Moyles Show, Laura's sister Mary Sayers, who had found Laura's teenage diaries in her bedroom at her family house in York, was asked to read the diaries out on air.The team decided to carry this feature on again when they next covered for Moyles during January 2006 and began Season 2, entitled "The College Years". This season consisted of many weird and rude codes, and the revalation of her love of her piano teacher in 1996.
'Laura's Diary' became such a hit with Scott's listeners, it was moved to the afternoon show. Season 3 saw Laura meet Ben from her brother's band Monster Sunshine. They tried for a relationship but subsequently she moved to Glasgow for university.
In Season 4, Laura talks of troubles at university and the woes of attempting to have a long distance relationship with Ben. The season ends with Ben dumping Laura by letter.
Mills joked a couple of times during the readings that because Laura was "unlucky in love" he would make it his mission to help her. This led to the hit Radio 1 tour 'One Night With Laura' - an 'X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
' style tour of the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
auditioning suitable boyfriends for Sayers.
One Night With Laura
Potential partners were asked to fill in a form on BBC Radio 1's website and, because of the success, on the last week of March 2006 a tour known as 'One Night with Laura' took place in SouthamptonSouthampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
and Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. The contestants had to impress Laura, and a panel of judges, enough for those to decide that they were right for her. This included many strange occurrences such as a contestant lying on a bed of nails and asking Sayers to stand on his back.
On the judging panel was Scott, Laura, her father Stephen and Mark "Chappers" Chapman
Mark Chapman (DJ)
Andrew Mark "Chappers" Chapman , also known as Chappers, is the main sports presenter on Radio 5 Live as well as presenting for BBC Sport on television, his mother is Emily Chapman and his father is Peter Chapman.He was the sports newsreader and Mills' sidekick on The Scott Mills Show on BBC Radio...
. On the last two nights Chapman, who had other commitments, was replaced by Laura's sister, Mary, and Jo Whiley
Jo Whiley
Johanne "Jo" Whiley is a British radio disc jockey and television presenter. She was the host of the long running weekday Jo Whiley Show on Radio 1.-Early life and education:...
. The auditionees came and went and were whittled down to just four partners from each of the auditions in Southampton, Cardiff, Nottingham and Newcastle (nobody qualified from Glasgow). These were Ben, James, Gareth and Shep. James was the first person to be voted out by the public.
Each of the final three were paraded on Radio 1 over a week of breakfast shows, participating in tasks and taking part in interviews to try to win over their all important votes. The final took place on 2006-04-07 and saw Gareth from Chard
Chard, Somerset
Chard is a town and civil parish in the Somerset county of England. It lies on the A30 road near the Devon border, south west of Yeovil. The parish has a population of approximately 12,000 and, at an elevation of , it is the southernmost and highest town in Somerset...
win the public vote.
Even though he won the overall competition, after he and Laura spent a weekend in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
together, it was clear Sayers believed him more of a friend than a boyfriend. She later began dating one of the original contestants (whom she eventually married), James Busson from Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
. She'd earlier voiced her disappointment that James did not make it to the final.
Laura's Diary - The Book
Because of the success of the diary on Radio 1, Laura's Diary was released to the public as a book on Thursday 30 November 2006. It included entries not heard during the radio broadcasts.External links
- Laura's "mini-site" at bbc.co.uk
- Unofficial Laura
- Laura's Diary on Amazon
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/nickgrimshaw/ Nick Grimshaw Mini-Site
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/scottmills/ Scott Mills Mini-Site
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/ The Official Chart Show Website
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/reggieyates/ Reggie Yates' Request Show