The 60 Year Overnight Sensation

stuart mcalister
visual specialist

Lockdown bored me.

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In one way or another, it bored everyone.

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So to overcome it, I wrote a book.

From failing my school exams with distinction to landing my first job in London's West End on the lighting crew of Evita! at The Prince Edward Theatre. One thing led to another and I found myself at Elstree Studios operating the lighting desk on 'Monty Python's Meaning of Life', then to Noel Edmonds' 'Late, Late Breakfast Show' at the BBC and the giant screen for 'Queen’s Live Magic’ concerts at Wembley Stadium.

One of those chance meetings then opened the door to television news, a passion that was to dominate the next 27 years. Sky News sent me to Bosnia on multiple assignments to report on the conflict, then to South Africa to witness Nelson Mandela’s historic election victory.

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I was snapped up by The Associated Press (AP), who promptly sent me out to sea to join the Royal Navy on HMS Invincible, where I played with Harrier jump jets. Reassigned to Paris, I began a two-decade love affair with the French, starting with the death of a Princess.

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The party atmosphere of the 1998 Football World Cup came to town, followed by interviews with Presidents and World Leaders, handshakes and pastries, then to Kosovo, David Bowie’s chewing gum and breakfast with Lucius Malfoy ...

I don't expect to make a penny from this project (it certainly wasn't the intention) but it was a fantastic way to fill a year.

Click the cover to find out more (or order a copy from me).