World’s best Nolli inspires on Jill Dando TV

By Jill Dando News reporters 

A future Fiona Bruce hosted 20 Jill Dando Television (JDTV) reporters aged 9 to 15 to quiz one of the world’s best women’s rugby players

Olivia, 15, of Worle Community School Academy (WCSA), hosted the latest JDTV on Zoom to interview world-cup winning Danielle Waterman (Nolli).

Somerset-born Nolli has an unrivalled track record across men and women’s rugby with 82 International Caps, 47 tries, and is the world’s only player to have played in four rugby world cups and the Olympic Games.

Reporters from The Priory Learning Trust asked Nolli a range of questions in their latest JDTV interview, just nine months after they quizzed Boris Johnson in Downing Street.

Nolli, the first ever Global Ambassador with HSBC, told the reporters sport and life tips including how to motivate yourself, and the importance of being kind, positive, honest and determined.

She also explained how she fought back from a potential career-ending knee injury followed by breaking her cheek in three places to go to the Olympics, win a Grand Slam and play in her fourth World Cup.

During an hour-long JDTV interview she said: “Find something you are passionate about. It could be writing, art, music, or other things. If it brings an enjoyment then be determined to be successful.

“Do not be afraid to give something a go. It’s a choice, not a sacrifice.”

Lisa Dadds of TPLT, said: “We were thrilled to listen in to this incredible interview full of brilliant advice.

“Nolli is a former Somerset student who rose to become one of the world’s best rugby players and is now also a successful commentator and motivational speaker.

“Our own Olivia hosted the interview with excellence.”

Olivia, of WCSA, and Aimee, 14, of Priory Community School Academy helped launch JDTV in style on 27th April 2019, the 20th anniversary of Jill’ death.

They both scripted, produced and presented their own piece for BBC TV Points West – the first ever production of JDTV. On the same day, dozens of students, teachers, Principals, former Headteachers, journalists and TV crews gathered at WCSA.

Then for JDTV in August 2019, students including, then aged 12, of The King Alfred School Academy (TKASA), were the first journalists in Britain to interview new Prime Minister Boris Johnson inside Downing Street. 

A month earlier Dawson and other JDTV reporters had filmed and interviewed Mr Johnson at their news centre at TKASA, while at the same time being given journalism tips by Sophy Ridge of Sky News.

The Jill Dando News Centre initiative was started at Jill’s old school Worle Community School Academy in Weston-super-Mare in 2017.

Jill Dando News and JDTV has since spread to other schools in The Priory Learning Trust and also to Malawi, Africa.

The aim is to train children to find and write real-life stories in Jill’s style, which then go into the Media and Social Media – filling people’s minds with positive news in an era of bad news.

Professional journalists such as Nigel Dando help out in the training of reporters.