MEET the new face of exercise for shopping channel QVC.
Emma Newham has been picked to help get the nation fit.
Her appointment comes after the channel scoured the country for a new star.
The 42-year-old will make her television debut later this month, putting her Pilates expertise into practice.
Emma, of East Boldon, has already been for her screen test and has just finished some TV sales training – alongside reality show favourite Christine Hamilton, and Dempsey and Makepeace star Glynis Barber.
Now she is preparing to go live.
“Not only do you have to be a good presenter and, of course, a good teacher,” she said, “but you also need to be a excellent at sales.
“Fortunately, when I used to work at the Halifax, in Ocean Road, South Shields, I was their number one saleswoman, so I know I can do it.”
Emma is one of the UK’s most experienced Pilates instructors.
She has published several exercise manuals, teaches in cities including Dublin, Sydney and New York, and has even released her own DVD.
“That was how I teamed up with QVC,” she told the Echo.
“I contacted them to see how I could get the DVD onto the channel and they asked me to come down and discuss it.
“They were asking me a little bit about myself and I explained I was one of the longest-serving Pilates teachers in the UK.
“They were looking at each other and then said they were trying to find someone new to sell their Pilates reformer machine.
“They had been auditioning people but hadn’t found anyone suitable. It all started from there.”
Emma, mother to Amy, 10, runs a successful studio in Station Road, East Boldon, specialising in Pilates, yoga and Barre Concept.
Married to Andrew, 53, she recently attended a QVC media training course in Chiswick Park, London.
“It was just before Christmas and Glynis Barber was there, as well as Christine Hamilton who were also learning about selling their own range of products for QVC.”
Emma, who did ballet as a child, is now looking forward to the new chapter in her life.
“I have always wanted to be on television,” she added.
“I’m equally nervous and excited about the whole thing.”
QVC UK was formed in 1993 when QVC, Inc. formed a deal with Sky TV to create a UK version of the popular US channel.
It was first broadcast in the UK on 1 October 1993.
l You can see Emma making her television debut on QVC at 1pm, 5pm and 9pm on Monday.
Twitter: @sunderlandecho
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