¶ Empowering Career Journey With Michelle Eagleton
The Northern Power Women podcast for your career and your life , no matter what business you're in . Hello and welcome to the we Are Power podcast .
We love our podcast because it's all about highlighting phenomenal role models , getting some of those top tips , guidance , personal professional stories that you can take with you Whether you're on your walk today , your commute today , your chill out what's a chill out , by the way , not quite sure , but anyway whether you could take those along with you , no matter what
stage you are , what point you are in your sort of career extravaganza or for your personal life . That's what it's all about . We love , every week , to have a fantastic chat with a superhuman human being and this week I'm delighted to welcome to you , fresh from the purple carpet of the eighth Northern Power Awards , michelle Eagleton .
Presenter , host , entrepreneur , an all-round , sparkly , awesome , human . Michelle , welcome to the pod .
Oh , what a lovely introduction . It is a pleasure to be on this podcast and it was a pleasure to be your purple carpet host . What you do with the awards is amazing . I met so many incredible people .
Oh , I don't know how you kept the conversation going and that wonderful smile on your face all night , because there's so many different stories , aren't there to the evening . Was there anything that sort of stood out for you as that sort of takeaway story or that takeaway human ?
Oh , there were so many of them , but what I really found is just this this great empowerment that you felt at the end of the evening , that anything is possible . And then there are people out there who are constantly championing other people and creating ways and paths for future generations . You know , especially when it comes to gender and just being heard .
So for me it was just brilliant all of it .
And you have interviewed over the years , like many people , sir David Attenborough , gary Barleth I mean literally the Dame , the Dame , joan Collins . I mean literally the dame , the dame Joan Collins . I mean amazing , amazing , amazing people .
But you start we'll come to that in a second because everyone wants to know who your fave is and who the most difficult was right , but you started out in telly .
I did . Yes , you know , I was that child that was born with jazz hands in the air . So I started out life acting really . I went to a place called Oldham Theatre Workshop , which is synonymous with people who are in Coronation Street now , and I was on the stage from probably the age of three . Four went into TV .
There was a program called Children's Ward I don't know if you remember was on Granada back in the day . I was in that . I was also in Heartbeat , so I was the vicar of Aidensfield daughter Karen , which you can still see on ITV3 . It haunts me . Love a plug , get a plug in there .
It haunts me , simone , because my hair is very dark , I look very different and obviously I'm sporting lots of 60s get up . But it was really really fun . And yes , I mean gosh . My teenage years , my early 20s , were all kind of that acting . Then I kind of just got a little despondent with acting .
I'd gone for so many different roles and got very close to getting them and it's hard , it's a very hard industry and you have to be resilient and at that time I don't think I was resilient enough to take the knocks and I remember one of my last auditions was with the wonderful Victoria Wood .
I mean epic getting to read , you know , alongside Victoria Wood for Dinner Ladies . Do you remember Dinner Ladies ? That was on BBC , the comedy programme ? Oh my life Mrs .
Overall ? Was it Mrs Overall that ?
was in there , julie Walters . Julie Walters was in it . It was absolutely star-studded . And there was a part called Twinkle which Maxine Peake got , but it was between me and Maxine for that very role .
So the amount of times we were called backwards and forwards , uh , for this part and and she's an an absolute powerhouse , maxine , definitely the right choice there . But I think after that I really thought I'm gonna have to have a rethink .
And my mum sat me down and she said you know , you love kind of talking to people , you love writing , you love being creative . When I was at college I was the magazine editor so I decided do you know what ? I'm going to take a route differently into journalism .
So I got myself off to Salford University , did journalism with broadcasting and never really looked back .
You talk about , you're not having that coping strategy . At that moment in time , there'll be many people listening to the pod who are going through their own sort of promotion tracks or interview tracks or , you know , putting themselves forward for whatever performance they're going for . What advice would you give to your younger Twinkle was it ?
you give to your younger twinkle . Was it I , I would have sat the younger Michelle down and said it's not about you . Don't take knockbacks and what you think as failure personal , because you know the younger self every audition I thought that it was my fault , I hadn't read good enough .
I wasn't good enough when you know in hindsight and hindsight is brilliant and age and experience you can go well . No , because they were looking for a certain person . You know you got so close , which means you are talented . It's just that wasn't the right moment for you .
And I should have actually looked back at times when I had got the part , because when I read for Heartbeat , I was with lots of other girls who were brilliant actresses . They didn't get the role that I got , but I looked more like the mum and dad that they cast . But it's difficult , it is really difficult .
I just think , yeah , I would say just never take anything personally , because nine times out of ten it's it's not you absolutely .
It's just . I always think it's like , you know , sometimes it's it's a bit like it's not . No , it's just not now , you know , and it might not have been for you at that given time .
So see , then you , you went into this broadcast journalist career , um , and then into um , you know , like you said , you like talking to people and I don't suppose it's by any surprise now that you host so many different things and you , I do feel like you , you , you migrate and navigate towards some of those like really kind of positive events as well , I
feel like , because that's you bring that twinkle and sparkle to that . But how , how do you manage to to sort of look at both , you know , from a journalist side and then a hosting side ? Do you have a favourite child ?
Oh , that's really interesting . I love live , whatever it is really . I just feel I get the buzz . So live TV and live radio for me is perfect . I'm in the moment . I actually do like the fact that anything can happen and being on your toes and being kept on your toes and ready for anything . I just feel like that's the time that you're tested .
So again , I suppose that's what I like with live events , because you don't know what people are going to say , how they're going to react , and you know it's real , you know there's nothing really scripted . I feel one of my best talents is for ad-libbing . You know , because I've done so much live things in the past , that nothing really phases me anymore .
I'm going to say that with fingers and toes crossed , because I know it'll come and bite me on the bum now , won't it ? Simone ?
Never , never , never at all . I think , one of the things as well . You talk about , the kind of the ad-lib moments . I think we call it innovation , do we not ? I think that's what it is it's innovation and improvisation . What is the sort of the biggest moments , I suppose , like where you're waiting for Ant and Dec to come . What was one of those moments ?
Oh well , you're asking what holes I've had to dig myself out of Simone .
Indeed innovation . Yes , where have you had to ?
innovate , michelle . Oh , a number of times , you know , when I've done live telly before and for people who are unaware of how live telly works , you have an earpiece and that has people in the gallery like your director and your producer talking to you in your ear .
And there's been so many times where things have happened where a guest is running late so then you're having to fill or something is going on behind the scenes . Technically wise , you've just not got to show it on your face . You're that swan . To be honest with you , in the moment you are being calm and collective .
Nobody knows , apart from you , that chaos is ensuing . You know , because a swan , obviously it looks glamorous and beautiful on the top but underneath that water is flapping its legs 100 miles an hour . You know , but as long as that person is unaware , then yes , I'm just trying to think of a particular point , really that that has happened to me .
I think mainly it is with timings , because that is so crucial , especially if it is , you know , tv or radio . You've got to hit the spot . I remember actually working for man United Television .
I used to do their 60 seconds news and it was one of my husband's favorite jobs because he's a red for his sins , and that that was hard work because you'd write your script . You'd go up into the studio , which I've got to say was like a cupboard . So it's you the cameraman .
I've got my five inch heels , because I'm only very small , as you know , and I'm trying to work the autocue with a pedal .
So you've got your foot on the pedal , you're reading the autocue , you're trying not to push down on the autocue too fast because it just starts flying up and then in the gallery , in your earpiece , they're telling you that actually a player has just scored . So everything that's on your autocue is now wrong .
Those are moments where you're like , okay , just be calm and go with it . It's like rubbing your belly and patting your head at the same time .
I've never been good at that . I've never been good at it , and what's been your favourite interview we talked about touched on some of the celebrities that you have interviewed over the years . Is there a standout one there ?
And why there definitely is a standout one . I got asked to interview Dame Joan Collins a couple of years ago and I mean she's an icon , wow , absolute icon . And it wasn't just an interview where you get 10 , 15 minutes , this was an audience with Dame Joan Collins , so it was in front of , you know , a fully sold out audience .
It was an hour and a half with Joan and me on stage . It was pretty epic , I've got to say , and it was one of those times which felt a little bit out of body . And I was glad that it was an out of body experience because at the start she came out to the dynasty music .
So it's going , and that was still yeah , crystal carrington , is that ? Who ?
she was . She was alexis alexis carrington .
Oh , alexis , sorry , that was it .
Yeah , no , no no crystal was a rival . You're there , you're there . I'll never forget the fight that they had in the mud and everything . Anyway , she came walking through the audience to that music and I am stood on the stage thinking , oh my God , I think I've just in this moment , lost it . Hold it together , hold it together .
And then I just like intake of breath and thought , come on , let's go for it . And she was just . I mean , this woman has , you know , been around so many stars . She was telling me about when James Dean offered her a lift in his Porsche and she said he was really nice .
Marilyn Monroe took her under her wing when she arrived in Hollywood and said you know , there's a lot of predators out there . You really do need to look after yourself .
And I think what I got overall was a sense of such a strong woman who had really fought for her place in the industry in a time when there were men out there who were very much if you want to be nice to me , you can get further up the ladder and she blatantly just said not a chance , you know , and really stood her ground on that and gave as good as
she got with the men . And yeah , she was just incredible , yeah , through the middle of the interview , because she she loves her skincare routines and her makeup and her beauty . And she just looked at me at this one point and she went look at you , look at you , you know why . Why are you wearing a nude lipstick ? You should be wearing red what ?
There's no point in wearing a nude lipstick , michelle . You're blonde , red lipstick . And I just turned around and I went well , if Dame Joan Collins tells you to wear red lipstick , I'm going out and I bought myself a lipstick the very next day and I've . Yeah , it's great , it does the job , joan .
Do you know what we talked about ? What's the best advice you've ever received ? And I love that , be more red lippy . And if , dame , the best advice you've ever received and I love that be be more red lippy from and if Dane Jones telling you to do that , then you've got it . And I know you are very passionate about giving back , paying forward .
Uh , you naturally have that aura around you that . I think that makes people open up and feel supported . But I know you do a lot of work with students , um and and and . Indeed , on the purple carpet , you brought two of your brilliant students along with you to kind of anchor with you and they were fantastic .
What advice would you give to any aspiring students out there who want to get into broadcast journalism and are looking to really get that way but don't know how ?
¶ Supporting Journalism and Motherhood Learning
I think it's about trying to learn as many skills nowadays as you can do . Back in the day , when I started out as a journalist , it was very much . It was all about the research and the questions .
Now you do have to be multi skilled to be able to get ahead , and we are in a time when the industry at the moment is making cutbacks , so you haven't got as big teams as you usually have . So I would say learn , keep learning . Get yourself trained in editing , in camera work as well as being a good journalist , and also listen to things you know .
Listen to people know on podcasts on television . How do they interview I ? I learn all the time . I just love listening to people who are doing interviews , because you're never too old to stop learning and picking up little details here and there .
And what I would say to anybody going forward and and it's something that I regularly want to do and will continue to do it's we need to champion everybody . Let's be each other's cheerleaders , because there's room for everybody in the industry and that's it .
And the only way that we can progress and get up that ladder is by people lifting us , and I think we need to see more of it 100% is that you know using your power for good to support other people , giving people that leg up , not forgetting and taking people with you .
And finally , tell us about your project , the Bad Mums Club . I love the title of that .
Do you know what I love it ? It is a bit of my passion . Bad Mums Club was born a couple of years ago and I watched a film called Bad Moms American film with Mila Kunis .
I love that film .
It's great , isn't it ? And I had had a couple of glasses of wine after watching it and I thought this is so me . This is me . I'm one of these bad mums , but I'm not bad . We're not bad , we're good , we're just normal people . So my husband came home , he'd been out watching football and I went I'm going to start a club up .
He's like you've had a couple of glasses of wine , michelle , what ? And I went no , no , it needs to be done next day . You know I am a go-getter , I will do things . I created Bad Mums Club and it's basically , you know , a regular meetup and we have bad mums from , you know , early 20s . We've got bad grannies in their 80s .
They drink more Prosecco than the ones in their 20s and it's a safe place where people can come together , have a night off from being mum , and it's not competitive . It's just about . You know , I'll invite different local companies that they can kind of have a look at . They have like a little bit of a social .
But it's very much of the reason that I again not just a film . It's because , as a mum myself , I think we have all these things put on us , especially with social media . Um , instagram versus reality , isn't it really ? Um , I remember seeing one of my friends .
She put loads of pictures on Instagram with her family in Dubai and I was watching Coronation Street at the time in my pajamas with my bro looking over at my husband who's on the other sofa , going look at that , they're in Dubai . They've all got the same outfit . So we could never have done that .
When Daisy was two and , uh , I was I was kicking myself thinking , oh , we're not those people . Anyway , met up with her two weeks later and I was like your holiday looked amazing . She went oh , don't tell , don't even go there . Me and my husband fell out the second day . The kids were a nightmare . And I was like your holiday looked amazing .
She went oh , don't even go there . Me and my husband fell out . The second day , the kids were a nightmare . And I was thinking that's you know it's not representative , is it ?
So I think sometimes , when we get together and share those moments with other mums , we believe that we are all normal and we're all dealing with the same type of thing in different ways , and that's how we can support each other . Really . I mean , I'm there in the playground looking very glamorous because of what I do .
But then you know , someone will be looking at me thinking I've got it all together , I haven't , I can't do a gingerbread house .
It's not being deceived , isn't it Not ? Looking at the gloss , listen , but we will put details of your bad mums club in the show
¶ Power Women Podcast Interview With Michelle
notes as well . Michelle , you're a legend , you're a rock star . I could keep on chatting . Let's come back for episode two . It'll be amazing . Michelle , thank you so much for joining us on the podcast . Thank you , it was a pleasure . Oh , I Please do keep the conversation going .
Drop us an old school email podcast at northernpowerwomencom and stay connected on all of our socials Facebook , linkedin , we Are Power , tiktok , instagram , twitter , wearepower , underscore net . And please leave us a review . We love those too . They're ace , and thank you so much for joining us . My name is Simone .
This is the we Are Power podcast and what goes on media production .