Meet the host
6th July 2020
Sports broadcaster Emma Dodds will be our interviewer for the Pride Active series
Our new #PrideActive series starts this Wednesday, and you can register here to meet and ask questions of the former road-racing champion cyclist Philippa York. In advance of this, we decided it was time to get to know our host Emma Dodds a little bit better.
What have you been up to during lockdown?
I've actually adapted to Lockdown much better than I thought! Given the nature of my job I'm used to being somewhere different every other day, but after accepting I can't go anywhere I’ve really embraced being at home.
We have a peloton bike so can exercise on that, plus living in the country means we still have the ability to walk/run outdoors without really seeing anyone else. Plus I’ve been cooking LOTS and bird watching — and I love it!
What's your background in journalism/broadcasting?
I always knew I wanted to be a professional athlete or report on live sport and should have taken up a basketball/journalism scholarship in the US after school. But I was already working at Radio Clyde (my regional radio station) and managed to get a more permanent job there during my gap year. Giving that up didn’t make sense, so I stayed and the rest is history.
I was 19 then and my job has taken me all over the world since. I’ve been fortunate to work for some great companies, cover amazing sporting events such as World Cups and Olympic Games, while living in really amazing places like Paris, London and Dubai. Now I’m based back in Scotland as a freelance sports broadcaster and work for TV channels BT Sport and Premier Sport.
What is your LGBT+ story?
It’s really only in the past couple of years I’ve openly, comfortably spoken about being gay.
I’d known for a while and was always conscious of the industry I work in, plus what impact it would have on that side of my life. I definitely put personal happiness behind other factors for a long time.
I’ve had relationships with men in the past, but I’m finally comfortable being open about my sexuality as a lesbian. I’ve reached a point where I genuinely feel like my true, authentic self and life has never been better.
Why did you come on board as host for the Active Interview series?
I think raising awareness and being able to address issues that still exist for the LGBTIQ+ community is really important and that’s what we aim to do throughout the series.
I work in sport and love broadcasting, it’s a fantastic career to be in and I see life from both the athlete’s perspective and also the spectator. Our guests all have personal experiences to share about their pathways through their professions and being part of the LGBTIQ+ community.
What are you most excited about in doing the interviews?
There are serious issues to cover but we’ll also be having a lot of fun! I’m excited to be part of this series, which is giving us a platform to share, listen and interact with the attendees.
Although we can’t do this live in person somewhere, technology means we can reach people all over the country (and beyond) while working towards a common goal of improving knowledge and making sport inclusive for all — and one of the best ways of doing that is through the stories of those who have played their part in getting us where we are today.
