bbc 5 live travel presenters

ELLIE BRENNAN

Presenter and Events Host 

Available for:

Radio | Podcasts | Voice over | Live and virtual events | TV | Corporate videos

Hi, I'm Ellie - a presenter and events host. 

I present the travel news on BBC 5 Live's Breakfast and Drive show alongside freelance presenting across the BBC, including Radio 2 and BBC Local Radio. Previously I presented the ARIA-nominated, number one commercial breakfast show in Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire on Viking FM. 

 I'm also an experienced stage and events host, working across a variety of events from company awards to music stages with up to 60,000 people in attendance. 

I have worked on voice over projects including radio adverts, corporate videos and online ad campaigns and, sometimes, you'll catch me in front of the camera too!

If you are interested in working with me, please drop me an email: [email protected]

[email protected]

@theelliebrennan

Orna Merchant - London Voice Over

Orna is currently the voice of travel news on BBC Radio 5 live having been part of the on-air team for over 10 years, across all programmes. She is a regular voice on BBC Radio 2, can currently be heard on Sunday evenings and is their regular travel ‘cover’ presenter. Orna has worked in the radio industry for 20 years starting as a broadcast assistant at BBC Radio Manchester. After completing a graduate traineeship with EMAP Radio, she worked in commercial radio, including promotions and direct sales. As a radio presenter she presented her own show and co presented shows for the UTV Radio group, (now Wireless Group); add to that a taste of TV presenting for Channel M, based in Manchester. Orna regularly travels between Manchester and London for work and is keen to expand her portfolio. She can provide a warm but authoritative read and is suitable for narration, and corporate work. Her commercial radio experience has given her a good understanding of delivering a commercial message.

Call us : 0203 086 7986

Email : [email protected].

Male Artists

Female Artists

Recording Facilities

Translation

Manchester Voiceover

Telephone : 0203 086 7986

Michelle Dignan to host BBC Radio Manchester Breakfast

BBC Radio 5 Live travel presenter Michelle Dignan is joining BBC Radio Manchester to presenter the breakfast show.

Michelle, who has also worked for Bauer at various stations around the north of England, replaces Becky Want next month.

In addition to doing voice-overs for the last 15 years, Michelle has co-hosted breakfast at Key 103 in Manchester, Rock FM in Lancashire and Hallam FM in Sheffield.

She has also presented weekend breakfast at Heat Radio and The Hits.

Michelle tells RadioToday: “I’m unbelievably excited to be presenting BBC Radio Manchester’s breakfast show.

“To keep everyone company first thing in the morning is a privilege and I will do my best to make sure everyone hears all the news they need to know, and hopefully have a laugh along the way.

“And I can’t wait to be reunited with newsreader extraordinaire Paul ‘Locko’ Lockitt. I’m not quite the care-free 21-year-old girl about town I was when I last worked with him at Key 103- I now come with a husband, 2 kids and a dog- but I’m sure we’ll still have fun!

“Anyone from Greater Manchester will tell you that it’s an amazing place, with amazing people, I’m going to celebrate that every morning. I can’t wait to get stuck in.”

Her appointment sees Becky Want return to her afternoon slot (2-6pm) following her 18-month stint on breakfast during the Covid pandemic, while Phil Trow moves to the late-night programme (10-1am).

Anna Jameson takes over Friday and Saturday breakfast (6-10am) and Simone Riley will host Friday and Saturday daytimes (10-2pm).

BBC Radio Manchester Editor, Kate Squire, said: “I’m absolutely delighted Michelle Dignan is going to be presenting our breakfast show, she’s a brilliant broadcaster and being born and brought up in Wythenshawe she knows what makes Greater Manchester tick. I just know our listeners are going to love her.

“Huge thanks to Becky Want for covering the breakfast programme during a global pandemic, keeping listeners informed and entertained. She has earned a lie-in and a return to her spiritual home in the afternoon.

“And to Phil Trow whose also been brilliant for listeners, keeping them going throughout Covid, he now takes his popular afternoon features and fun to late nights Monday to Thursday.”

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Who is the BBC star John Hunt whose family have been killed in 'triple crossbow murder'?

Police officers have launched a man hunt after the horrific murders of three women, who were aged 25, 28, and 61, in Bushey, Hertfordshire

• 13:53, 10 Jul 2024
• Updated 15:00, 10 Jul 2024

BBC Five Live racing commentator John Hunt reportedly return home to discover his wife and two daughters had been brutally attacked.

The three women were killed in a suspected crossbow murder. It's alleged Hunt returned home from work to find the three women seriously injured – they were subsequently pronounced dead at the scene.

Hunt, who is married with three children, is said to have been working for the BBC on Tuesday and may have raised the alarm when he returned home at around 7pm, as reported by The Telegraph. The broadcaster's 61-year-old wife Carol has been named locally, with Hertfordshire Police revealing at a press conference Wednesday afternoon that the two other victims were her daughters.

Hunt, who is a former police officer, has worked for BBC Radio Five Live as a racing commentator for the last 20 years. ITV racing pundit Matt Chapman took to X, formerly known as Twitter , on Wednesday to share his condolences for his co-star.

He wrote: "No words needed for what has happened to @HuntyCaller and family today. Impossible to comprehend the pain. Just know we are all here for you John. We love you pal - racing loves you." A search is underway to find Kyle Clifford, 26, from Enfield, who is wanted in connection with the deaths, which took place at a property in Ashlyn Close, Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Calling on the public for information, Detective Superintendent Rob Hall from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit said: “This is an incredibly difficult incident for the victims’ family and we would ask that their privacy is respected as they come to terms with what has happened.

“Whilst we are still in the early stages of this investigation, we are actively seeking Kyle Clifford who we believe could be in the areas of Hertfordshire or North London.

“Given the serious nature of the incident, I would ask anyone who knows where he is to contact police immediately. If you believe you see him, please do not approach him and dial 999 straight away. He may still be in possession of a weapon.

“Our enquires will continue over the coming days to ascertain the full circumstances of what happened but I would also like to take this opportunity appeal to anyone who was in the area around Ashlyn Close from around lunchtime on Tuesday until 7pm, and believes they may have seen anything that could assist the investigation, to contact us.

“This incident will of course be of concern to local residents. Officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Team will be in the area today so please do speak to them if you need to.”

The Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a post on X: "The loss of three women's lives in Bushey last night is truly shocking. My thoughts are with the family & friends of those who have been killed & with the community. I am being kept fully updated. I urge people to support (Hertfordshire Police) with any information about this case."

As part of a note sent to BBC 5 Live staff on Wednesday, the organisation described the incident which involved the deaths of the wife and daughters of racing commentator John Hunt as “utterly devastating”. The note read: “The news today about John Hunt’s family is utterly devastating. Our thoughts are with John and his family at this incredibly difficult time and we will provide him with all the support we can.”

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Kyle Clifford latest: Suspect in hospital after being detained over deadly crossbow attack on wife and two daughters of BBC and Sky broadcaster John Hunt

Kyle Clifford, from Enfield, is detained after the deaths of three women in Bushey, Hertfordshire. They were the wife and two daughters of BBC and Sky racing broadcaster John Hunt.

Thursday 11 July 2024 06:14, UK

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• Triple murder suspect Kyle Clifford detained by police and taken to hospital
• Suspect pictured being stretchered out of cemetery
• Three women killed in crossbow attack were wife and two daughters of BBC racing commentator John Hunt
• Three victims named
• Women were still alive when emergency services arrived last night
• 'We're all here for you mate': Fellow sports commentator pays tribute to father and husband
• Live reporting by Emily Mee  and (earlier)  Katie Williams  and  Jess Sharp

We are now closing this live blog - scroll down for all the developments as they happened, or read our news report here…

A criminology professor has warned the country is in a "state of emergency" due to the level of violence against women. 

"We have a lot of work to do in terms of addressing the pernicious forms of misogyny, sexism, violence in our streets, our homes, online," Dr Aisha Gill told Sky News. 

She said crimes such as these "don't occur out of the blue" and we need to "look at everyday normalising of violence against women". 

Activists are "alarmed and enraged every single day", she said. 

"I really hope we do see greater accountability in terms of disrupting male privilege that allows this kind of violence to take place in our communities." 

Radio 5 Live presenter Mark Chapman has made an emotional tribute to his friend John Hunt at the start of the Euro 2024 pre-match show. 

Mr Hunt, a racing commentator, is the father and husband of the victims. 

Speaking through tears, Mr Chapman said: "This has been a heartbreaking day.

"John Hunt is our colleague and our friend, not just to the current 5 Live sport team but to all of those who have worked here with him over the past 20 years and also to all of you who have enjoyed his superb commentaries.

"On behalf of everybody connected to 5 Live sport, our love and thoughts and support are with John and his family."

Mourners have been leaving flowers and notes on the road where Carol Hunt and her daughters Louise and Hannah were killed. 

One poignant note read: "Hannah, Louise and Carol. I wish none of this was real. I wish I could hug you all, tell you how much you meant to me. 

"I wish we could hug each other. Love you forever, Mol xxxx."

Sports commentator Geoff Peters has said the murders in Bushey last night are "hard to comprehend". 

He described John Hunt, whose wife and daughters were killed in the attack, as a "colleague and friend, one of the best in the sports business and always a joy to be around". 

"Life can be so cruel. We're all here for you Hunty mate," he said. 

Another friend of Louise Hunt has said he feels "in denial" about her murder, and is "angry, sad and in shock".

"I couldn't believe what had happened at first," he told BBC News. 

"I'd heard the news from my sister early in the morning before I'd figured out who the victims were and, once I found out, it's been a massive shock, [I've] been in denial.

"I haven't processed it yet and I feel also angry towards the murder and I can't even begin to imagine what the father's going through - so, mixture of emotions - angry, sad and in shock."

Dog groomer Amy has said she knew 25-year-old victim Louise Hunt, who was also a dog groomer. 

"She was always very friendly when I had questions about dog grooming," she told Sky News. 

"It's such sad news. My thoughts are with her family and friends." 

A Rendlesham Road resident has said they saw about a dozen police officers searching a nearby house this morning. 

Rendlesham Road is a less than five-minute walk from the cemetery where Kyle Clifford was found. 

The resident, who did not want to be named, said it was a "shock" to see guns and dogs in his neighbourhood.

"The road went from quiet to manic out of nowhere. They were shouting 'armed police' and pointing their guns so it was clearly quite a serious matter," he said.

"I don't really know who lives there, I've never seen the guy the police are after."

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