Southampton may be known for its Common, its Civic Centre, and its Saints fans, but it’s also the city that shaped BBC Correspondent Emma Vardy.
From childhood adventures with a camcorder to reporting on global events, her roots in the city have been the starting point for a career that spans continents and newsrooms alike.
Recalling some of her earliest memories in the city, Emma said: “I think some of my earliest memories are of feeding the ducks at the Common and walking on the wall around the Civic Centre. If you haven’t done those things at least once, are you even a Southampton kid?!
"I always love being back in Southampton as I do feel very connected to my childhood there. So many places hold lots of memories for me”
Reflecting on her Southampton upbringing, Emma says it shaped her outlook and resilience.
“Being from a working-class area with not a great deal of money when we were growing up has shaped my understanding of the issues that are important to people, and the things as journalists we should be reporting on.
"I always try to remember to listen to what my instincts tell me about what makes a story worth covering and the questions people really want asking.”
Emma was a student at Regents Park Girls’ School (now Regents Park Community College) and later Taunton's College, where she was involved in music and performance-related activities.
She credits this with building the confidence she now has when under pressure and in front of audiences, saying this “certainly helps for working in live news".
"A breaking story is never perfectly rehearsed!”
She went on to study at Falmouth University, before beginning her professional journey at Sky, and later to the BBC, where she gradually built an international profile.
Reflecting on those early years, she recalls some of the challenges she faced in breaking into the industry.
“In my early years, a lot of newsrooms were still fairly male-dominated, especially when it came to sports coverage, which was one of the areas I started out in,” Emma says.
“But I’m glad to say that’s changed a lot since, and there’s more recognition now that our broadcast teams and newsrooms should reflect our audiences much better.”
Emma has reported from high-pressure environments around the world, including Ukraine, Washington DC, and Northern Ireland. She has covered the US election of Donald Trump, the LA wildfires, and political upheaval across Westminster. Yet it was her nearly five years in Northern Ireland that posed some of the most complex challenges of her career.
“I spent nearly five years covering outbreaks of violence, government collapses, paramilitary intimidation, the upheaval of Brexit, and the Covid pandemic.”
“We often had to make decisions about safety while trying to get to the heart of difficult stories and shine a light on some of the problems that communities face. As a place to live, I loved my time there and often go back to visit many good friends and colleagues.”
Preparation is key, Emma says. “I try to gain as much knowledge and understanding in advance as possible, and then once there, talk to people and listen to those really living through historic events. Being able to convey not just what is happening and why, but what it feels like to be there and the emotion of it is crucial.”
Emma’s work has been recognised with two Royal Television Society Awards and the title of Political Studies Association Journalist of the Year. Yet she emphasizes that awards are only part of the picture.
“Being recognised is nice, but often that’s really just the tip of the iceberg,” she says. “Sometimes there are pieces that you’ll never win awards for but that you know really made a difference to someone’s life or helped get someone’s voice heard.”
For young people in Southampton who may feel distant from traditional media hubs, Emma has a clear message: “The things that people care about most can often be the things right on your doorstep. It doesn’t matter where you are in the country; you need to be able to tap into what matters to people to find the stories that need covering.”
Even with an international career, Emma maintains strong ties to Southampton. A Saints fan, she admits she hasn’t visited St Mary’s in recent years, often due to family visits when she is back in the city. “I will have to rectify that soon!” she says.
Motherhood has also changed her perspective. “It’s given me a lot more empathy for the challenges that mums deal with. It’s made some stories harder to cover, especially those involving children. It’s also made me more focused on what’s important and not getting caught up in small stuff,” she explains.
Reflecting on her own childhood, Emma says: “When I have brought my son to play in Southampton playgrounds that I once played in, it is a strange feeling, like you’ve come full circle. They’re always going to be familiar with Southampton because of course they’ll be brought here visiting often. I hope that it will be a place they’ll feel like home and that they’ll feel a connection with.”
Her advice to her younger self and anyone starting out is simple: “Trust your instincts, as they are usually right. And believe in yourself more, because you will get there.”
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