Presenter
all presentation/professional enquires to Paula . button on homepage.
It all started when…
Josie d’Arby is an award winning television presenter who began her television career at the age of 14 by sending a letter and a cassette tape to her favourite kids TV show. To her suprise a researcher from the show called her and a career in presenting was begun.
Born and raised in South Wales to Jamaican parents, as a young teenager Josie attended weekly improvisation classes at the Anna Scher Theatre in Islington.
After A Levels Josie won a coveted place on the 3 year Acting course at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Whilst in her second year, she ran out of money ‘ I was sleeping on a friends floor, and eating lots of weetabix, then one Sunday morning I was watching kids TV ( as students do ) and a lightbulb came on! I know, I’ll present again!’
One VHS showreel later and she was audtioning at Children’s BBC.
Whilst still a student she began working at the BBC and presented for the channel ( on BBC 1 and BBC 2) for 3 years, during which time she hosted many of their much loved chidlren’s shows, performed in sketch comedy and hosted live events such as the Children’s BAFTAS and Children’s Comic Relief.
Josie was head hunted to be the face of Channel 5’s youth programmes at its launch , culminating in her own show for the channel ‘Josie’
She returned to the BBC to launch their brand new digital music channel and simaltaneously landed a role as a co-presenter on Channel 4’s anarchic live morning show ‘the Bigger Breakfast’ .
During this time Channel 4 piloted a show for Josie (also) called ‘Josie’ and she hosted a chat programme for CITV called ‘ A Date with Josie’
Josie returned to the BBC as one of the faces of its popular music shows .
Returning to acting full time, she took the role of rookie cop Jodie Finn , in the gritty BBC Drama ‘ MerseyBeat’ . Josie worked on the show, set in Liverpool, for three years.
With a natural flare for comedy , she was part of the ensemble cast of channel 4’s critically acclaimed sketch comedy series ‘Spoons’, she appeared in the hit BBC comedy ‘Miranda’ and had a lead role in the award winning BBC2 Spoof comedy ‘Look Around You’, working with Oscar winning actors. Josie retired from acting in 2012, as she realised she no longer enjoyed being in that industry.
Focusing instead exclusively on presenting, Josie won an RTS personality award for her work presenting the BBC human interest factual series ‘Inside Out’
Whilst at the BBC , Josie honed her skills as an Arts Presenter. To date she has presented some of the broadcasters most enduring Art formats, including: BBC Young Musican; BBC Choir of the Year; BBC Young Jazz; BBC Proms in the Park and the BBC Proms from the Royal Albert Hall. During Covid Josie was chosen to present the highly acclaimed Anoushka Shankar Prom , which many regard as one of the great contemporary proms . She also hosted the Prom of virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell amonst others. Josie has had the pleasure of being at the helm of the much-loved International Opera competition BBC Cardiff Singer of the World for over 14 years.
Josie also works on live stage events.
She had the honour of being selected to present the first ever Kanneh Mason Family concert at the Barbican in London , where she joined the talened siblings on stage.
She has hosted Live concerts for the Cardiff Philharmonic and Birmingham City Symphony Orchestra. As well as co- hosting, for an international auidence, the Eurovision Young Musican , live from The Usher Hall in Edinghburgh, featuring a panel which included American maestro Marin Alsop . And in Deember 2023 she presented the AFBE awards in Aberdeen , a wonderful organisation that promotes and supports careers in science and engineering amongst talented but underserved parts of the community.
Josie was the winner of the BBC series Celebrity painting Challenge, where, in a series of painting challenges, her artistic skills were pitted against other celebrity artists including Jane Seymour and Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen.
Josie presented the ground breaking BBC Four BAFTA nominated event series LIFE DRAWING LIVE, working alongside celebrated artists Lachlan Goudie, Daphne Todd and Nicky Phillips
In the days following the death of Queen Elizabeth II , Josie was honoured to be a part of ITV’s News coverage.
Away from screen and stage, Josie enjoys a quiet life of solo adventure travel and making up recipes. She is a keen cyclist and hiker and learnt to surf at the age of 50! She is an accomplished artist whose work is exhibited in homes around the world, she also has a piece on display in the public gallery of her hometown and her first exhibition is set to take place in Summer 2024.
Adept at writing, she wrote and directed a highly regarded stage play to celebrate her hometown and she has just released her first illustrated short story which is available to purchase worldwide on Amazon. She is also a keen amateur photographer. You can find out more about all her other pursuits and passions on the site.
