Like most students who have endured years of education, after leaving university Ashley had a burning ambition to travel the world.  His idea to backpack across the globe was scuppered due to lack of funds.  Not giving up his dream to travel Ashley decided to join the airline industry, as a steward. It was here that he realised where his true talents lay, travelling the world and getting paid for it, what a job!

At the age of 23 and having clocked up more than half a million air-miles, Ashley  decided to leave the airline industry in search of something more fulfilling, and he went back to college to study journalism, attaining a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism at the age of 24.

Ashley’s first TV job was presenting a local entertainment and what’s on slot for cable TV in Coventry. With his knowledge of the travel industry, Ashley’s bosses soon realised they were onto a winner when they gave him the chance of producing and presenting the promotional VT’s for The Travel Channel. 

Ashley’s next job was as a news presenter/reporter for LIVE TV, in Liverpool, where he was responsible for presenting the news bulletins and ‘live’ location reports.   Having made a success of his work with LIVE TV up north, his roots beckoned and Ashley returned  to his home city to take up the same position in Birmingham. 

It was there that Ashley’s talents caught the eyes of television executives from Carlton Television. He joined the education department as a presenter on ‘Stage One Science’ for Channel Four schools.  Ashley was then drawn to the bright lights of London by London News Network who realised his potential and offered him a break on ‘London Today’ and ‘London Tonight’. He was also responsible for reporting the daily news on Carlton and LWT. On a number of occasions Ashley spent time undercover to highlight the war between hot-dog traders in the city (a life threatening assignment) and to test police stop and search procedures after the Stephen Lawrence inquiry. 

LNN Factual Programmes then offered Ashley a position on ‘Travel Express’, a holiday series, which allowed him to present and produce a series of holiday reports from around the world, including Hong Kong, USA, Turkey and Ireland.  LWT’s ‘Dream Ticket’ then followed, and Ashley was able to combine his skills as a journalist with his experience of and love for travelling.

Having completed his first series of ‘Dream Ticket’ Ashley was eager to begin the second, and in the meantime he joined BBC Breakfast News as a reporter.  This opportunity tested his journalistic abilities to the full, reporting on a wide range of national issue stories.

In Ashley’s current role as a Senior Broadcast Journalist with BBC ‘Midlands Today’, he is responsible for presenting news bulletins four days a week and is also the Entertainment Reporter for the region, focusing on the diverse range of talent in the Midlands. At the same time Ashley has also been the presenter of BBC News & Current Affairs ‘Inside Out’ programme for six years.