LDP
business awards www.ldpbusiness.co.uk
Steve O’Connor celebrates after winning the DLA Piper Business Person of the Year Award last year Picture: GARETH JONES
Celebrating the success of businesses in our region by Bill Gleeson
LDP BUSINESS EDITOR bill.gleeson@liverpool.com
AROUND 500 guests from Liverpool’s business community will assemble at Liverpool Cathedral tomorrow night for the annual Liverpool Daily Post Regional Business Awards. Now in its 20th year, the Regional Business Awards seek to recognise the achievements of the enterprising companies and individuals who play a crucial role in the local economy. Their success in business creates both wealth and jobs for people in our region. Ten awards will be handed out tomorrow night recognising the financial performance of businesses of
all sizes, as well their achievements in winning international export orders, their contribution to the local community, and the part they are playing in trying to improve our environment. One of the key awards dished out each year is the DLA Piper Business Person of the Year Award. This award is made in recognition of the achievements of a notable entrepreneur who has made a major contribution both to the development of his or her business and the local economy. Last year, it was won by Widnes businessman Steve O’Connor, who grew the family haulage firm into one of the major transport groups in the region before selling it to Stobart Group and becoming managing director of Stobart Ports.
Daily Post business editor Bill Gleeson said: “In the past two decades, the Regional Business Awards have earned their place right at the top of the social calendar of Merseyside’s business community. “We expect another great turnout tomorrow and we’re really looking forward to meeting old friends and making new contacts with businesses attending for the first time. “The awards are seen by many who enter as a very important recognition of their achievements, with many past winners telling me how success in our awards has led directly to doors opening for their businesses.”
The ceremony will be hosted by former political journalist John Sergeant and the keynote speech will be delivered by John Timpson, who owns Timpson, the shoe repair and key cutting chain. The Daily Post is very grateful to its main sponsors, law firm DLA Piper and accountancy firm KPMG, for their continued support for this event. We are also grateful to all of our category sponsors. As well as the speeches and the awards, there will be ample time before and after dinner for everybody taking part to network. The cathedral itself offers a grand and inspirational setting
Bill Gleeson
for the event, staged in its main aisle and surrounded by fabulous architecture and stained glass windows. Mr Gleeson, who is also chair of the judging committee, added: “As always, it was difficult to pick the winners from a very strong field of entrants. Many of the judges commented that the quality of this year’s entries made it one of the best years yet. While some were clearly coping with the effects of the recent economic downturn, others seemed to be going from strength to strength, irrespective of economic conditions. “The judges came across some great examples of resilience, including businesses that had withstood multiple bankruptcies among their clients and customers to turn things around and keep things going.”
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011
LDP business awards 2011
Applauding our success stories Philip Rooney, Liverpool Office Managing Partner, DLA Piper BUSINESS conditions in living memory have probably never been as challenging as they have been over the last 12 months and more. No one can be certain of what the future holds, as political change in the Middle East and North Africa mixes with general economic uncertainty and the Government’s programme to rebalance the economy. What better time than the present to applaud the successful businesses which continue to thrive in the Liverpool city region? Last year, Liverpool had the courage to exhibit on the world stage at Expo 2010 in Shanghai, a vivid symbol to all business leaders in the region, if they needed one, that we do truly live in a global economy. As important is the clear message from the region's leaders that both economic growth and inward investment are required to enable the city region to succeed in the future. The Regional Business Awards, with their origins in the difficult
days of the early 1990s, have always highlighted the very best which the region has to offer, from fledgling businesses – which are the key to growth in the years ahead – to the successful established businesses which are role models for all. Leading businesses and those at their helms understand the importance of a vibrant, diverse and successful regional economy, as well as the need to ensure that all members of our community share in the good fortune which business growth delivers. These awards showcase best practice across all aspects of achieving business success and developing community engagement. Shanghai Expo was an important forward step for our great city region, but the next phase of our economic journey will be tough as various headwinds seek to push us off course. However, building on the hard work and commitment which has brought us to this point, we should have every confidence that the city region can emerge from these turbulent times stronger, more competitive and even more engaged in the global business world. And these awards, reflecting existing achievements, will be a great opportunity to remind Philip Rooney, pictured at Tate Liverpool, says the award nominees are role models ourselves why our confidence in Picture: JAMES MALONEY the future is not misplaced.
LOCAL FOCUS - GLOBAL REACH From start-ups to multi-nationals, we help North West businesses achieve success at regional, national and international levels. We do business where you do business Over 4,000 lawyers in more than 75 offices throughout the world. Philip Rooney, Managing Partner, Liverpool Office T0151 237 4730 | philip.rooney@dlapiper.com www.dlapiper.com | DLA Piper UK LLP
DLA Piper is a global law firm operating through various separate and district legal entitles. For further information please refer to www.dlapiper.com
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011
LDP business awards 2011
Winners are creating jobs and wealth
Ian Goalen says businesses need to be fleet of foot to thrive in the current climate
KPMG is proud to support the best of Merseyside business. We congratulate all of the nominees and winners of the Regional Business Awards 2011. For further information, please contact: Ian Goalen Senior Partner, KPMG’s Liverpool office T: 0151 473 5153 E: ian.goalen@kpmg.co.uk kpmg.co.uk
KPMG is once again proud to sponsor the Business of the Year award category at the Liverpool Daily Post Regional Business Awards. Since we were last together at the 2010 Awards dinner, businesses around the region have continued to experience some of the most testing economic conditions in memory. The feelgood factor that was slowly starting to return to businesses in Merseyside towards the latter stages of 2010 is still there, but announcements around spending cuts, housing market sluggishness and tax increases, combined with
on-off speculation as to whether we are heading for double-dip recession, has definitely had an impact on business behaviour. We know from talking to our clients that, for many, growth plans and “getting back to business as usual” is very much on the agenda. Nevertheless, all are still wary and many are both ready to invest or batten down the hatches, whichever is required. Being fleet of foot and quick to adapt to change are just some of the qualities which typify those businesses which form the backbone of the Regional Busi-
ness Awards. The awards recognise true excellence, and showcase those organisations which reflect the best that Merseyside has to offer, and of which we can be most proud. The KPMG Business of the Year Award specifically seeks to celebrate those businesses across the region which are stepping up to the plate in generating new opportunities for employment and wealth creation. We know from previous winners of this category that Merseyside has the ability to produce businesses that will help get us back on the path of sustainable economic development. I have no doubt that this year’s winner will be yet another excellent standard-bearer for the region.
© 2011 KPMG LLP, a UK limited liability partnership, is a subsidiary of KPMG Europe LLP and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative, a Swiss entity.
Ian Goalen, senior partner, KPMG Liverpool
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011
LDP business awards 2011
A showcase for the best John Spofforth reviews the shortlist for this year’s Regional Business Awards
Eco Environments is one of the fastest growing renewable energy companies in the UK. The company has six offices including its head office in Liverpool. Employing 23 people, the business achieved a turnover of £1.4m in its third year – a 636 per cent increase on the previous year. Eco Environments designs, installs and commissions a comprehensive range of renewable energy and energy conservation solutions for domestic and commercial customers, including:
• Solar Photovoltaic (PV)
• Solar thermal water heating systems
• Wind turbines
• Heat pumps
David Hunt, the company’s Sales and Marketing Director, said: “We have a unique advantage because we are able to offer multiple technologies. This ensures that when we meet with a client there are no preconceived views as to the right solution for them. We will advise our clients as to the right renewable energy solution for their business or home.” Eco Environments’ local clients include Benson Signs, Everyman Theatre Annexe, Neighbourhood Services Company and the KIND SEED Centre. • Contact David Hunt on 0845 6868 111 or david.hunt@eco-environments.co.uk
www.eco-environments.co.uk
BUSINESSES from across the region have inundated the Liverpool Daily Post with scores of entries for this year’s 2011 business awards. The judges had a difficult time whittling down these many entries (sometimes more than 25 per award) into a shortlist of just three. Although this means many excellent firms have been left off the list, the final shortlist all deserve their places for outstanding performances in the past 12 months. The glittering event, now in its 20th year, is being held at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral tomorrow night. It will bring 500 business people from around Merseyside and Cheshire to celebrate the region’s successes. The keynote speaker at the event is John Timpson, chairman of shoe repair and key cutting chain Timpson, who has run the firm since 1983 and has seen it transform into a £125m turnover business. Today, the firm has more than 800 branches nationwide. The event’s host will be journalist and comedian, John Sergeant, who began his career with the Liverpool Daily Post. There will be 10 awards featured at the event enabling businesses big and small to be recognised for their successes over the past year. The shortlist is: Small Business of the Year Award: Txtlocal A Chester-based mobile phone marketing company that has increased its range of services over the past years and has grown from strength to strength, Txtlocal currently sends over 10m text messages every month, a figure that has been increasing at a constant rate. Human Recognition Systems Based at Wavertree Technology Park, Human Recognition Systems is an innovative security firm. It expects to expand its range of technology products. Nurock A cement mixer manufacturer based in Knowsley, Nurock had a turnover of £930,000 last year. The firm is seeking patents for two products, the first being a hydraulics system which was passed last January, the second for a new compact mixer which has now entered the European Patent Office and has yet to be passed. Medium Business of the Year Award: Click Consult Hooton-based marketing firm Click Consult has been experiencing strong growth and expanded its business in May 2010 into new premises. Its yearly turnover for that year was £4.5m which has increased from £2m in 2008. GB Group Based in Chester Business Park, GB Group is a stock market-quoted information firm which has seen revenues increase by 13% in the last year to £17.7m. Boodles Boodles has been transformed over the years from a provincial jeweller into a national brand. From its original Liverpool location, the company now owns eight additional stores, five being in London. The company has had 15 consecutive years of growth with sales up by 12% to £42m. Liverpool John Moores University Knowledge Business of the Year Award: AIMES Grid Services AIMES is a Liverpool technology business which focuses on next generation digital infrastructure and cloud-based services for businesses across the region. Human Recognition Systems In 2010 Human Recognition Systems launched its first graduate development programme providing exciting career prospects for graduates across the North West. It has recently developed biometrics technology for
Eco Environments director David Hunt ensuring airport security and managing the efficient flow of passengers through airports. Redx Pharma Redx Pharma is a UK based company which develops potential new drugs using the innovative “Redox Switch” platform, which allows it to progress new drug development programs at lower risk and greater speed compared to clinical trials. The Jaguar Land Rover Corporate Social Responsibility Award: Balfour Beatty Capital During the course of 2010 the Balfour Beatty group has engaged with thousands of school children across Merseyside, created 30 apprenticeships for young people who where not in training, employment, or education, and secured work experience for a further 35. Riverside Riverside is a social housing and regeneration organisation which has a vision to “transform lives and revitalise neighbourhoods”. It works in four “impact areas” which are community, environment, marketplace and workplace. It has saved customers £620,000 worth of interest with its low cost loans scheme, Moneyline, since 2008. Medicash. Medicash is one of the leading cash providers in the UK. The organisation provides cash plans to individuals and employees which allow people to claim back money on a wide range of medical benefits. It has donated £150,000 to health related charities across Merseyside. Investment of the Year Award: Nutricia Worldwide dairy Group Nutricia has two subsidiaries in the UK – Danone UK and Danone Waters UK & Ireland. Danone UK is the dairy business behind Britain’s fastest growing yoghurt brands Activia and Shape as well as the probiotic drinking yoghurt, Actimel. It employs 80,000 people across five continents in over 30 countries. Jaguar Land Rover Jaguar Land Rover has created 1,500 jobs at Halewood as the factory gears up for the imminent launch of the Range Rover Evoque. B&M Retail B&M Retail has been established for more than 30 years and is now one of the UK’s fastest-growing retailers, its stores attracting over 1m shoppers every week. From its first store in Blackpool, B&M has grown to own more than 230 stores throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It currently employs more than 7,000 staff. It last year relocated its head office and principal warehouse from Blackpool to Speke in Liverpool, creating 600 jobs. Liverpool Chamber of Commerce Exporter of the Year Award: Hotter Comfort Concept Shoes Hotter Comfort Concept Shoes is a shoe manufacturer based in Skelmersdale. It made a
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011
LDP business awards 2011
t in the business world
Dancers welcomed visitors to last year’s Regional Business Awards Picture: GARETH JONES
Neil Norman, chief executive at Human Recognition Systems
Sue Weir, chief executive of Medicash
record 1.3m pairs of shoes last year in its Lancashire factory. Real Good Food Company Real Good Food Company owns four businesses, with the closest being Renshaw, a Liverpool-based ingredient supplier of cake coverings, marzipan, caramel, chocolate compound and jam. Currently Renshaw exports to more than 30 countries, with the US accounting for 60% of total export sales. The United Utilities Green Award: Speedy Hire Since 1977 Speedy Hire has grown to be the leading equipment rental and support services provider with over 300 fixed sites in the UK. It offers an education and awareness program aimed at customers entitled ‘Getting Greener from the Ground Up’ designed to help customers make small changes that lead to a larger environmental impact. Weir and Carmichael Weir and Carmichael’s core business activities focus on selling reusable packaging sacks and bags to both the industrial and recycling sector that can be reused up to 70 times. Eco Environments During 2010, Eco Environments firmly established itself as one of the leading renewable energy businesses in the UK. The company achieved a turnover of £1.3m this year com-
pared to last year’s £220,000. The business also opened regional offices in Manchester, Tamworth, Penrith and Darlington, with further office openings planned for 2011. The KPMG Business of the Year Award: Stobart Logistics group Stobart’s financial performance has been very strong over the past year with a 3.9% increase in turnover from £431m to £447.5m in 2010, with a corresponding 54% increase in profits to £34m in the same year. Business developments in the North West have also taken place, one such example being its Widnes 528,000 sq ft distribution centre. Park Group Gift voucher supplier Park Group’s turnover from its Love2reward brand has doubled in the past five years and now accounts for 50% of group turnover at £123m. Park Group serves 6,000 businesses with a variety of solutions designed to enable them to reward and incentivise customers and staff. Hotter Comfort Concept Shoes Skelmersdale-basedHotter Comfort Concept Shoes was founded in 1959 and today is the biggest shoe manufacturer in the UK. ■ TWO other awards will be announced on the night without a shortlist – the O2 Judges’ Choice Award and the DLA Piper Business Person of the Year.
airports@hrsid.com
WWW.HRSID.COM
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Proud to be shortlisted for the Corporate Social Responsibility Award 2011 Medicash has been supporting the health and wellbeing of our local communities for 140 years.
Fit for Business: the Conference
18th October 2011, Crowne Plaza, Liverpool Early Bird Discount – £65 (limited time only) www.medicash.org/fitforbusiness
To find out more about Medicash’s range of corporate and individual health plans, call us today on 0800 011 2222 or visit www.medicash.org
Identity Management the key to building trust and profitable relationships? David Green, Business Development Director, GB Group
As I reach for my post, my attention is yet again grabbed by the logo of a well known insurance company that has written to the gent that lived at my address four years ago – he’s deceased by the way, God rest his soul! Can I even be bothered to strike through the address and ‘return to sender’ like I’ve done on the other 6 occasions, or shall I just bin it this time? One thing’s for sure, I won’t be doing business with this organisation for fear of them writing to me, long after I have died too – not sure I want my personal details falling into the hands of the next occupier, for lots of reasons! There’s just no excuse these days for mass mailing to a database full of people you once had a relationship with. The damage this can do to a company’s brand reputation can be irrevocable. With the news and social network sites awash with horror stories of identity fraud and lost data headlines, is it any wonder that we, the consumers, are becoming
paranoid about giving our personal details to anyone, without first knowing their family history and inside leg measurement! There are so many reasons why having access to the most up to date and comprehensive view of the UK’s population is advantageous. For example the oldest house in my village, which stands proudly on a grand corner plot is now two town houses and four luxurious flats occupied by six families. Imagine if you’re a utility company still with the old address on your database or a local authority with only the original address for billing the council tax to? So much lost revenue! Don’t be thinking the occupants will be banging on your door begging to pay such bills – they’ll wait for the very expensive legal case you’ll have to put together to retrieve any back dated payments. Any previous relationship that a brand had with the occupier of the now unrecognisable manor house is seriously out of date. The profile of the current residents range from a guy with more money than sense
(Ferrari on the drive – I’m not jealous), two families of four, a couple of singletons on the first rung of the property ladder and some wonderful retired couples, who have taken it upon themselves to make our central village garden the best in the county! A real mix – so a one size fits all mass communication is not going to get any brand seeking new customers very far.
Identity Management has been termed 21st century or “next generation” Customer Relationship Management (CRM). The CRM systems of the 1990s were predominantly reactive and made assumptions based on traditional, and limited, identity data – name, address, purchase history etc. CRM technology considered where you live (geo-demographics), products you’ve bought to then make predictions about what other
customers would do if they displayed similar characteristics/identity information. The assumption was that, if you like one thing, you will like related products. But in the new world of extended choice, it is no longer safe – or responsible – to make such assumptions. Just as it is inappropriate to assume that people living at the same postcode will have the same spending habits or buying preferences, building assumptions about a person’s behaviour based on what others have bought/browsed/said is equally flawed. Identity Management pulls together the widest possible view of a person’s identity to support key decision-making processes. It enables organisations to consider indications of behaviour such as previous purchases, web pages viewed, levels of profitability associated with an individual customer or potentially fraudulent activity. It helps append missing information to your customer records such as updated landline and mobile numbers and email addresses, my preferred way of receiving communications, even my new address (if I’ve moved house and forgotten to update your
files) – all done using consented data I have personally given for the purposes of marketing to. Identity Management offers a means by which public and private sector organisations can manage personal identity information across multiple areas in a transparent, secure, efficient and responsible manner that puts the trust back into business relationships. It is simply a case of...
“
do unto others as you would have them do unto you
”
– get it right and reap the rewards – mutually of course.
David Green 01244 657333 www.gb.co.uk
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011
LDP business awards 2011
‘Upside-down’ boss to share thoughts at glittering event by John Spofforth
LDP BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT business@liverpool.com
JOHN TIMPSON, speaker at the Regional Business Awards 2011, has led the shoe repair and key cutting firm, Timpson, since 1983, and has seen it grow into a £125m turnover business. He joined the original family footwear business, William Timpson, soon after graduating from Nottingham University, and in 1970 became the director responsible for buying. Following the acquisition of the company by the UDS Group, in 1973, he became managing director of leather and fur retailers, Swears & Wells, and in 1975 was appointed managing director of William Timpson, his original family business. In 1983, he led a £42m management buyout of the company and, in 1987, sold its shoe shops and began concentrating on the shoe repair and key cutting part of the
business. Mr Timpson has since diversified into engraving, watch repairs, dry cleaning and photo processing. In 1995, he began an extensive buy-out programme by buying the 120-shop Automagic chain. In 2003, he bought Minit UK and its 200 repair shops. In June, 2008, he also bought 40 Sainsbury’s concessions, and in December that year he bought 187 Klick and Max Spielmann photo processing stores. Timpson now has over 800 branches nationwide, employing 3,000 people throughout the business. It has a turnover of £150m and profits of over £10m. It is a private business wholly owned by John Timpson and his family. Mr Timpson, who lives in Cheshire, has five children. He and his wife, Alex, were also foster carers for 29 years, during which time they fostered more than 80 children. He is also a trustee at Uppingham School and, until its merger with the NSPCC, was a trustee of ChildLine. He has also been chair of the governors at
Brookway High School, Wythenshawe, Delamere Primary School, Cheshire, and Terra Nova School, at Jodrell Bank. In 2000, he wrote a book, Dear James, in which he passes on to his son the lessons learned in 30 years as a chief executive. He describes his business philosophy in his latest book, How to Ride a Giraffe. Mr Timpson is in demand for an increasing number of speaking engagements talking about his business style which he calls “upside-down management.” He was awarded a CBE in 2004 in the Birthday Honours List for services to the retail sector. Son, James Timpson, is managing director of the company. The pair have created a business culture that is based on recruiting personalities and giving them complete authority to run their shops however they want. Timpson is well known as being a great place to work and has recently purchased a seaside hotel to increase the number of holiday homes for John Timpson has grown Timpson into a £125m business colleagues.
Advertising Feature Click Consult
Smart way to ensure your business clicks CLICK Consult’s journey began in 2003 when entrepreneurial founder Matt Bullas decided to market his first fledgling company, Planet Phonecards, to an online audience through paid search advertising. Finding that no simple, affordable solutions were available to him through an outside agency, Matt instead managed the pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns for his business in-house, experiencing a marked increase in his return on investment as a result. Spotting a gap in the market, Matt started offering similar PPC campaign services to other businesses, setting up a trading entity and website – www.clickconsult.com – and recruiting search-marketing personnel as needed. By the end of 2006, Click Consult had 11 staff and 80 clients, moving to a larger office to facilitate further growth. In 2007, it began offering search engine optimisation services to complement the PPC management solutions, recruiting experienced technical staff to head their specialist SEO division, SEO Consult.
A year later saw the introduction of a web design and development arm of the company, enabling the firm to offer a greater range of internet services to provide clients with a complete solution to all of their online business marketing requirements. By the end of 2008, Click Consult was delivering services across these disciplines for 175 clients with a staff of 30 online marketing professionals. Now, in 2011, the company is housed in a new office complex with more than 60 personnel, providing a huge range of services to over 300 clients across every major industry. With projected turnover for the current financial year being £5.5m, Click Consult have bucked the trend throughout recent tough economic times and recently won the coveted 2010 High Sheriff of Cheshire’s Award for Business Enterprise. It currently offers a comprehensive range of expertly implemented internet marketing and web design and development solutions. With specialised teams for every area of service they
provide, dedicated account managers for every project and technical experts to ensure all work carried out is to the highest possible standard, Click Consult ensure their services are delivered with an unrivalled level of transparency. With a research and development team focused on ensuring all solutions and campaigns provided accurately reflect changes in these constantly evolving online disciplines, Click Consult’s in-house specialists have also developed a wide range of bespoke tools and services to help clients maximise their online profile and return on investment. Click Consult’s services include: ■ Pay-per-click (PPC) Management; ■ Search engine optimisation; ■ Web design & development; ■ Social media marketing; ■ Conversion rate optimisation; ■ Online copywriting; ■ Email marketing; ■ Affiliate marketing; ■ Shopping feed management; ■ Internet reputation management; ■ Multilingual marketing.
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011
LDP business awards 2011
Sergeant dances back to Liverpool by John Spofforth
LDP BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT
business@liverpool.com
THE host at tomorrow night’s Liverpool Daily Post Regional Business Awards will be celebrity political journalist John Sergeant, who began his career with the Liverpool Daily Post and is best known recently for his performance on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. Mr Sergeant studied at Magdalen College, Oxford, and first made a name for himself in student comedy venues. In 1966, Alan Bennett chose him from the cast of the Oxford University comedy revue at the Edinburgh Festival to appear in the award-winning BBC TV comedy series, On the Margin . Mr Sergeant had already been accepted as a news trainee with Reuters but gave that up to work with Mr Bennett. He then trained as a journalist at Darlington College before working as a correspondent for the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo. He joined the BBC as a radio reporter in 1970, where he was on the international desk covering stories about 25 countries. After this he became a war reporter in Vietnam and Israel and
reported the death of the first British soldier during The Troubles in Northern Ireland. He became a political correspondent in 1981 and covered the opening sessions of the European Parliament. Among his notable journalistic achievements was his encounter with Margaret Thatcher at the Paris Embassy, days before she resigned as Prime Minister in 1990. The way he was pushed aside by Lady Thatcher's press secretary, Sir Bernard Ingham, has become one of the most famous live broadcasts of recent times. Many saw it as a metaphor for the end of her time in power. After this, he presented BBC Radio 4 programmes, Today and The World At One. Mr Sergeant was the BBC’s chief political correspondent from 1992 until 2000. He then became ITN’s political editor, replacing the retiring Michael Brunson, before retiring himself in 2002. After retirement from political journalism, Mr Sergeant’s appearances on programmes such as Have I Got News For You have made him a sought-after participant in television comedy shows. Mr Sergeant memorably competed in Strictly Come Dancing with partner Kristina Rihanoff in the sixth
series of the dancing competition, in 2008. Although he repeatedly finished bottom on the judges’ leaderboard, he won over the hearts of the public and was continually voted to stay in the competition. In the end, he left the show in the tenth week following a farewell dance, saying: “The trouble is that there is now a real danger that I might win the competition. Even for me, that would be a joke too far”. There was continual criticism by the judges and fellow dancers over the public’s voting, stating that it was a real dancing competition and far better dancers than him were being voted off. His escapades on Strictly Come Dancing boosted his fame to new heights and he has subsequently been engaged by Mentorn TV to produce a number of documentaries that include a three-part series entitled John Sergeant's Tourist Trail, in which he asked the question: “Why do tourists come to Britain?” Mr Sergeant lives in West London and has been married to his wife, Mary Smithies, for 42 years. The couple have two children, the first being Will Sergeant, who is a TV producer, director and writer. His second son, Mike Sergeant, is a BBC news reporter.
John Sergeant – proved a popular performer on Strictly Come Dancing Picture: IAN WEST
mkanig sesne in the wolrd of inecintevs and raewrds
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