After years on TV, my life is in a changing season

Discussing the changes in weather is common among us Brits. But what about the changing seasons?

The trees all around seem to do the talking for us, if only we looked up from our devices and gave them a moment to speak. Deep low sun in the sky casting shadows on the brown leaves in autumn and glistening snow on bare branches in winter. The morning frost on spiders’ webs by pink blossom in spring, dry heat, parched leaves yet lush fruit in summer.  

I’ve realised that my life is in a changing season, yet I haven’t really spoken about it. You may recognise me if you have children in your life, as I’ve spent 21 years as a CBBC and CBeebies presenter. That career started with a prophetic word that I would be “salt and light in the dark place of the media”. I went on to study media performance at the University of Bedfordshire before meeting an agent who sent my showreel (on VHS!) to contacts at CBBC. A meeting and a screen test later, I was offered a six-month contract presenting live on the CBBC channel. I joined a growing, diverse team of presenters and took my privilege as a role model to the nation’s children very seriously. I had grown up seeing little to no representation of my brown skin (inherited from my Jamaican mum and English dad) on television so wanted other children (and their families) to see themselves on TV. I hoped to inspire others to break the barriers that many of us black and brown-skinned people have found in the media and in workplaces in general. 

Some things have to die off in order for new life to grow

Fast forward to today and I’m now married and have an eight-year-old daughter, neither of which came as I’d expected. I have had a constant career in television all this time and by the grace of God, I have been a part of many successful TV shows, theatre productions and live festivals. But now it feels like my career summer has passed and autumn is setting in. TV work has dried up, things I once knew and depended on have died off, and I feel quite bare and exposed. 

But…the seasons change. Some things have to die off in order for new life to grow. My faith in Jesus and the hope I have because of his death and resurrection keep me going. I know spring is coming and I look forward to that, however long it takes to unfurl. And I’m looking forward to this new season as a columnist for Premier Christianity. You can expect to read my thoughts, experiences and findings on lots of topics in the coming months.

I’m just getting my snuggly jumper and slippers on, but soon I’ll be wearing T-shirts and flip-flops again and baring a bit more of me. How about you? What season are you in right now? Can you accept it won’t last and that change is good?