Getting To Know The Decorated BBC Reporter & Forbes 30 Under 30 Nominee, Gem O’Reilly
Gem O’Reilly is one of Britain’s finest young journalists. She has established herself as both an astute video journalist and digital reporter. Her tenure at the BBC has been nothing short of sensational. Gem has covered several stories that inspired positive change within communities in Britain. She is extremely passionate about keeping the public informed about all types of news ranging from mere trivial matters all the way to critical matters of public interest. Her zeal for authentic journalism even caught the attention of Forbes Magazine who decided to nominate her for the next edition of Forbes 30 under 30. A lot of credit can be apportioned to the BBC for Gem’s development into the marquee journalist she is today. The Hype Magazine’s Life & Style correspondent, Charles Myambo (CM) had a chat with Gem O’Reilly (GR). Below are some excerpts from the interview.
BBC Reporter – “Gem O’Reilly” (By: Sam Robinson)
CM: Gem, you are one of those few people who seem to be good at everything, for instance; music, acting, modeling, radio, teaching, journalism and even being multilingual. How did you become so multifaceted?
GR: Thank you! I’ve always been very into the arts from a young age and had a lot of interest in different areas. I think I’ve built experience in a range of subjects in order to give me the best start in life. My parents taught me to always have many strings to my bow and so I’ve tried to get involved in as many things as possible. Having Spanish lessons, stage school lessons and extra curricular activities have all been a result of having a lot of support from my family and being motivated to learn a lot. I also knew that languages would benefit me in journalism, for example now I’m working for BBC News and World where I use my Spanish for Latin American and Spanish stories coming into the BBC. I see every day as a learning opportunity and that is why I delved so much into different areas of expertise. It’s important however to craft a niche and not spread yourself too thin, so these next few years will be about honing in my skills and becoming more of an expert in chosen fields such as journalism.
CM: Let’s take a moment to focus a bit more on your journalistic prowess. What has your journey in media and journalism entailed on your way to becoming the respected BBC reporter you are today?
GR: My journey to where I’ve got to today has been done through hard work and dedication to storytelling. I think it’s really key to see yourself as a journalist as soon as possible, if that’s what you aspire to be. We have such technology at our fingertips, you can be making short films before you get qualifications, to build up a creative portfolio and get a feel for your style and interests. I ensured to do this when I was studying broadcast journalism at university, I was out and about in Manchester making radio packages and freelancing for different news outlets. That combined with a first class honors in my degree and the NCTJ diploma meant that I had a good background to go for a BBC talent scheme. In the summer of 2017, before I graduated I successfully got given a job at the BBC on its talent scheme, Extend. At that point I moved to London, after living in Manchester up until the age of 22. From there I’ve been exposed to so many incredible colleagues and stories, that I’ve been able to develop a lot in the last five years at the BBC. I have a real passion for telling the stories of underserved audiences, of giving people who often don’t get a voice, the microphone. I delve into creative works like they are discoveries and I genuinely take pleasure in crafting the perfect TV, digital video or radio package. I think as a journalist you’ve got to see the world more openly, you’ve got to listen more intently and watch closely. It’s very important to keep an open mind while also thinking outside the box. I have such an interest in many people and issues that I’ve tried to reflect as a journalist and hope to continue and stretch this to be an international approach. Every day I continue to learn. I aim to become an expert at my craft, but I realize experience is the only way to do that and so I continue to tell stories that I hope will resonate with people across multimedia platforms.
CM: Still on the subject of journalism. What have been some of your favorite bylines and why?
GR: My favorite bylines have been on breast ironing, which is a practice, performed in countries like Cameroon for example, involving heavy and sometimes heated objects being used to flatten pre-pubescent girls breasts, I found that this was happening in London and investigated it. Another is my piece on the Uighur Muslims in the capital and one man’s push to find out if his mother was okay in the camps in Xinjiang. I’ve also filmed, produced and reported on a knife crime documentary in which I followed a family whose son was a victim of London knife crime. More recently I covered a domestic abuse case which delved into the law being changed around safeguarding under child services in the UK. I’ve worked on some real hard-hitting journalism because I’ve wanted to delve deeper into real issues in society. I’ve wanted to understand the world better while telling a story in a creative, explorative way. I also wish to shine a light on the darker aspects of society and give the unheard a voice. Other stories I’ve really loved working on involve disabilities too. For instance I produced and filmed a series on hidden disabilities recently. I also recently filmed a story about a colleague and friend of mine, who is blind and the fact that guide dog partnerships have gone down in the UK since the pandemic. As a result of that story, just this week Guide Dogs saw puppy sponsorship go up by 450%. I’ve also told my own story on the BBC, about my heart condition. Last year I was signed off to run long distance and I wanted to tell my story to raise awareness and help others. After the story was released I had families across the world contact me to tell me they were getting their children checked for underlying heart conditions, which means it could have prevented a sudden cardiac arrest. The thought of this fills me with the most joy, because my journalism could be potentially helping others. Another highlight of my storytelling has been two little boys selling lemonade for Yemen. The two six-year-old boys raised more than £100,000 and one donation even came from Angelina Jolie, after she saw my story. This resulted in a water pump being built in a community in Yemen, which is very heartwarming.
CM: It’s not everyday you encounter an artist who is an elite news reporter. How have you gone about balancing your two foremost passions?
GR: I would say this is done through being very efficient with time, which takes practice. I also think it’s critical to be healthy, exercise regularly, eat and sleep well. I’m very much in a routine to allow me to have the energy to do both of my passions. I would also say that because they are my passions I gain a lot from them and therefore they provide me with balance because I feel fulfilled with them. Although it is really important to factor in rest and relaxation time, which I get from running and yoga and spending quality time with my friends and family.
It would be incorrect to say that I lead a relaxed life though. Having two passions and consistently developing them takes a lot of work and motivation. It also takes sacrifice, at university on the weekends for instance I was performing at gigs, which at times was very tiring after a long week of studying.
CM: Did your acting and music background contribute to your on screen ability as a broadcast journalist (TV Personality)? Feel free to elaborate.
GR: Music definitely helps with presence. Having the experience of dealing with audiences is important in both music and journalism. However I would say music has helped me become very humble, to approach people and just get to know them, which then transcends into my journalism. For instance when I was covering Notting Hill Carnival, I used the soft people skills I learned from performing gigs to approach others with questions. Both definitely compliment each other in strengthening my approach with the public. In terms of presenting, I’ve not presented full-time but would love to develop that in the future.
CM: Gem your name is truly fitting because you are as exceptional as a Gem (Diamond). That said, I’d like to know whether you have had moments of adversity in your life that you had to overcome by being as tough as a diamond is?
GR: I’ve had many points of adversity in my life. I have a hereditary heart condition that could, if I do the wrong thing, cause cardiac arrest. I also have scoliosis, which is a spinal condition and means my spine is shaped like an S. This causes a lot of pain because the spine leans on muscles it shouldn’t be. I was diagnosed with these during the tender years of 16 and 17 and at first they really sent me into a panic. I was so young dealing with two serious medical conditions that I didn’t quite understand. Hospital scans, check ups and Physiotherapy, it was all such a bundle of new scary things. I felt very alone in the world but I soon turned that isolation and pain into something positive and I started writing songs and performing. Several months later I was signed to a record label and next to Taylor Swift in the iTunes country charts. I really do believe that life throws a lot at us. It’s so important though that we push ahead and jump over our hurdles. I want to teach people to celebrate their differences and what makes them unique, because when I started to do that and accept my differences, I achieved more than I thought I could and I hope to encourage others to do the same.
CM: What does the future hold for the amazing Gem O’Reilly and could you share some words of wisdom with aspiring musicians and journalists based on your invaluable personal experience?
GR: I hope that the future holds a correspondent job, where I become a specialist in an area of journalism and I film my own stories around the world. I want to hone in my digital skills and ensure that I report across the world but be responsible for my own stories, by filming and editing them. I also hope the future holds more for my music, so I can compose more albums and perform bigger gigs. But most importantly I want the future to be healthy and to live in the moment. I’ve spent a lot of my life chasing the future and now I’m happy to take things in my stride and really savor today. Time is the most precious thing of all. As for my advice to others, I would say don’t rush your career. A brilliant editor once said to me “Your career is a marathon not a sprint.” And that’s what I would say to anyone, take your time in learning what you love the most. Make sure the job that you choose is something you find fun and you care about. I’d also advise doing a job that helps others. The world would be a much better place if we all lent a hand. I’m just trying to do my bit through my stories and hopefully in a small way that lends itself to helping others. I’ve set goals from an early age, worked hard and planned towards these outcomes, but it’s important to indulge in the moment and appreciate the spontaneity life brings. Try to find a job that you want to do every day, a job that provides others with some form of care or help and a job that makes you smile, because that is when you reach a level of contentment that’s worth working for.
(Images by Sam Robinson)
TweetAbout the Author
Charles Myambo (@BigChaz14 on Twitter) is a columnist and correspondent for industry leader, The Hype Magazine. He is also well known for being a multiple genre #1 Amazon best selling author. In addition to that, Charles is a credentialed journalist as seen in Muck Rack & Press Reader and he is also a highly touted celebrity news correspondent. Moreover, Charles is an international celebrity host and interviewer who has been covered by some of the world's biggest publications. At present, his interviews have been covered by credible journalistic outlets such as Medium, Flipboard, Press Reader, Muck Rack and many others. He is also a columnist for huge African newspapers such as NewsDay, Daily News, iHarare, ZiFM Stereo (radio station), H-Metro, The Financial Gazette as well as several other European and American publications. (@charlesmyambo on Instagram)
Related Posts
Big Homiie G – Blowing Money Fast →
The Hype Mag x 9lives – new single “MULTIMILLIONAIRE” (w/ Trippie Redd & Odetari) out 1/19 →
Somber yet Sophisticated debut single “The Nile” →
