Kofi Smiles, a 28-year-old Job Centre administrator has been chosen from hundreds of people, to be the BBC’s City of Culture 2017 presenter.
Smiles will receive training and experience from the BBC, with his reports appearing on BBC Radio Humberside, Look North and BBC Online.
“Kofi stood out from the moment he stepped on the stage. He was up against some stiff competition but his passion and enthusiasm to put Hull on the world stage really shone through,” said Helen Thomas, head of BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
Born in Beverley and raised in Hull, Smiles studied English Literature & Journalism at Northumbria University.
“When Peter Levy said my name, it didn’t register at first. I was so impressed by the other two finalists Lucy and Simon and I’m just so humbled to be able to have this opportunity,” he said.
“This is a huge moment for myself, my family and for the city. I just want to do Hull, East Riding, Withernsea and Lincolnshire proud carrying us through 2017 and beyond. This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase what the region has to offer, not only on a national level, but internationally, and I’m really excited to get started.”
He begins the new role with BBC Hull in December.
