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School pupils on campus for star-studded BBC festival

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Stars from social media, television and radio were among the guests inspiring youngsters at an event held at the University of Bradford.

a TV camera is filming a large screen advertising a festival

The BBC Young Reporter Festival saw students aged 16 to 18 from schools across the Bradford district find out more about a potential career in the media. 

They were given the chance to meet and ask questions to a host of media stars including BBC Radio 1 presenters, producers, a screenwriter and an influencer during a series of masterclasses. 

Four people sat on a stage in a discussion at an event with a large screen behind them

Author and screenwriter, AA Dhand, who grew up in Bradford, was among the panel discussing his six-part crime thriller, Virdee, which was filmed in the city and will be screened on BBC One this month. 

a person sat down on a stage listening to a question they are being asked

Katylee Bailey, who has three million followers on TikTok, gave an insight into being a lifestyle content creator on social media during her session. She offered tips to the teens in the audience about how to become an influencer and spoke about the negative sides of social media such as being trolled online. 

Vicky Hawkesworth and Nat O’Leary, who present morning shows on Radio 1 every Friday to Sunday, appeared on-stage along with their producer, Luciano Giaimo. The trio talked about their careers in radio and how they put their shows, including Radio 1 Group Chat, together, using social media as a key influence. 

Four people stood and sat down in an empty hall having a conversation

Vicky said: “The festival is fantastic. I wish there had been something like this when I was at college. It’s good to come and see them [the students]. 

“I’ve been very impressed by the University. It’s really good.”

The festival was hosted by BBC Newsround presenter Martin Dougan, and BBC Asian Network host Amber Sandhu. Martin was also joined on-stage by Amy Hollis, BBC Newsround producer, for a trusted news masterclass to talk to the teens about challenging what they see, hear or read online.

A person is on stage singing a song at an event

The event’s opening day, on Wednesday 5 February, closed with a discussion and performance by Bradford soul singer Sinead Campbell, who will be playing at the BBC Introducing event at The Underground in Bradford on Friday 28 February. 

Workshops on subjects including animation, motion capture, gaming and journalism, led by University staff, also took place on campus.

A networking careers event, held on the festival’s second day, included a creative careers panel discussion with broadcasters from the region. This session was open to people aged 18 to 25 who are interested in a career in the creative industry. 

Three people on stage at an event and the photo is taken from the back of the hall which is dimly lit

Professor Shirley Congdon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford, said: “We were delighted to host this prestigious event which may open doors to the future careers of young people at the University and in the district as a whole. 

“We hope the students who attended were inspired by what they heard from those already in the industry. 

“An event like this sets the marker for cultural events like this during Bradford 2025 as Bradford becomes a hub for opportunities within the arts and culture sectors.”

Both days of this year’s event were broadcast online via a live stream. The previous two year’s BBC Young Reporter Festivals were held in Glasgow and Birmingham.