It’s been a year of change for GB News’ rising star Charlie Peters. As well as becoming the channel’s new National Reporter, he also recently made his presenting debut alongside Nana Akua.
Here, Charlie shares his reflections on the last year, what life is like inside GBNews – and how he enjoys trying to relax off camera.
Do I have the best job in the world? It’s a question I happily ask myself several times a week, even when it’s at its most stressful.
I joined the people’s channel as an investigations producer and reporter, covering tricky stories across the country that had often been missed – or ignored – by other broadcasters.
In my first year, I was privileged to be trusted with exposing ongoing child abuse gangs across Britain, sectarian divisions in the Midlands, and a whole host of public sector screwups, including a police recruitment stall at an event involving Islamist preachers.
Our reports led to change. Government passed new laws – particularly on the grooming gangs scandal – and people took notice of the stones unturned by GB News.
It was the dream start to a dream job, with some of our viewers becoming our most trusted sources, bringing us key information from their local patches.
Finally they felt that they had a broadcaster that listened to their concerns, and in turn they trusted us with covering their stories.
It was after a year of these reports that the powers that be made me a day-to-day reporter, covering breaking news across the schedule, but still being afforded time to dip back into building investigations and exclusives.
Now as the channel’s National Reporter, every day starts with a review of what the country is talking about.
I’m expected to be flexible, agile and engaged, ready to react to whatever the news agenda takes us.
And in Britain, the agenda is set by the people.
If they’re feeling the pinch of rising prices, we’re covering consumer affairs and the cost of living.
If antisocial disorder is on the papers, we’re there to hear your voices and your concerns.
And as key issues such as immigration continue to dominate discussions in the pubs and clubs, we’ve got exclusive coverage and analysis from south coast of Dover to the north coast of Ulster.
Put simply, we’re everywhere, so my perfect day on the job starts with being assigned to a truly national story. An issue that affects us all.
And then I get to work bringing all the news and views I can on that issue, wherever I’m sent.
But before all that starts, I first get to spend a luxury few minutes (sometimes longer) with the hair and makeup department. Some colleagues might allege that this is my favourite part of the day. I will pass no further comment on the matter.
It’s non-stop when I’m on location for a story. If I’m at court, I’m busy gathering the latest lines, while keeping my eyes and ears open for any colour in the courtroom.
At a crime scene, we move rapidly between live updates to speak to locals, to understand how whatever travesty that has hit their area has affected them. And on happier stories – like that of Beckenham street-sweeper Paul Spiers who was gifted a holiday by his community – I have the pleasure of spreading their positivity.
At this point, you’re probably worried that my perfect day is just all about GB News.
My friends constantly tell me to work a little less, or to stop rattling on about what I’ve been covering during their office hours, and to fill more of my time with hobbies, but quite frankly this job has never felt like a chore.
Whether it’s under rocket attack in Tel Aviv, or a crown court after a mass stabbing, this job has given me a front-row seat as the history books are being written before my eyes.
But due to the way things work with work and rest, I do occasionally need to not obsess over the front pages or what’s at the top of the hour on a rival channel.
We all need to recharge and seek a distraction from our employment, no matter how much interesting it can be.
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I’m blessed to live in London, among some of the finest pubs in the land. I like a tipple, sure, preferably right before watching Tottenham Hotspur put three past their opposition. I grew up with a season ticket watching Paul Coyte introduce the team, now I see him every morning in the office.
Some people look at me as if I’m deranged when I tell them that the most ‘starstruck’ I’ve been on this gig was seeing Coytey for the first time.
My colleague Cameron Walker – comfortably the most engaging royal correspondent on telly – has waxed lyrical on this website about his love for baking, but my kitchen pleasures lie in cooking.
I’ve spent most of my 20s living in busy flatshares with close mates, and nothing’s better than coming home together and chipping in to a communal feast. Where possible, I love to take the lion’s share of responsibilities and experiment on my long-suffering cohabitants with a new recipe found while idly scrolling Instagram on the tube.
And with all that scranning, I need to expel the energy it gives me. I’m hesitant to admit this, as colleagues have teased me incessantly in the past, but my favourite form of exercise?
Fencing.
I’ve been addicted to the sport since I was six. It’s like physical chess. A competitive bout can have more storylines than a Hollywood classic. It’s an immense sport, and I’m glad that my childhood interest in becoming Peter Pan led me to try it out.
So, before I enjoy a flat-share feast, my perfect day would end with a foilist’s fight or two against a feisty fencer who is trying to pick the lock of my left-handed defence. Good luck to them.
I had my presenting debut on Britain’s Newsroom last Friday. It was enormously fun co-hosting with Nana Akua. At one point, in a discussion about gun rights in the US, we locked horns. Perhaps if I get her to a few fencing sessions, next time we can settle our differences on the piste.
