Meet The Team
Danny Smith – Presenter
Danny is the founder and host of the St Albans Podcast. Originally from Plymouth, he has lived in St Albans for more than twenty years. Danny spent ten years working in local radio for St Albans including hosting the popular drive time show for the community radio station. In early 2019, he recognised an opportunity to reach the local community in a new way, by launching a podcast to cover news, views and reviews for the people of the city and surrounding area. He has built up a network of local experts who join him regularly to talk about topics from health to music, food to festivals. Danny is passionate about raising awareness for great causes and voluntary work in St Albans, as well as supporting the arts.
Before working in broadcasting, Danny spent more than a decade working with young people as a leader in the locally headquartered Boys’ Brigade. He also ran a mobile DJ business, and still enjoys the occasional gig.
Danny is an active member of the St Albans community. On Saturdays he can be heard as the voice of St Albans City Football Club, making the announcements at Clarence Park. He is a long term attendee and trustee of Dagnall Street Baptist Church. Danny is also a keen actor and has made a number of appearances in the local theatre. He also enjoys the occasional run.
Producer Sam
Sam recently completed her PhD at the Open University, based in Milton Keynes, trying to discover whether the presence of life could be detected on the planet Mars. During her undergraduate degree, she presented a show on the student radio for four years. Bringing science and radio together, she hopes to bring a little more detail to some of the science news stories you hear in brief, what to look for in the night sky, as well as some entertaining scientific discussion. She runs a science news and reviews blog at http://www.jupitergirl.co.uk
Matt Adams – Local News Correspondent
Bio to follow
Becky Alexander – Food Critic
Becky is a food writer and book editor. She is in the Guild of Food Writers. She has lived in St Albans for over 15 years and often works in London for book publishers such as Bloomsbury, Penguin, Dorling Kindersley, Vermilion and Nourish Books. Her first food book Packed! co-written with nutritionist Michelle Lake was published in February 2017 by Nourish Books. Her Herts Advertiser column covers things about local farmers, producers, pubs, independent shops, cafes, and restaurants. You can find Becky on twitter @thelocalfoodie and on Instagram posting with her co-author Michelle @packedwithgoodthings.
David Widdowson – Theatre Correspondent
David is the Chair of the highly regarded Ovo Theatre Company, founded in St Albans and now based at the Maltings Theatre, which it runs on behalf of St Albans District Council. David regularly appears in Ovo productions and took the part of Jaques (“All the world’s a stage…”) in its award-winning production of As You Like It which premiered at Verulamium in the summer of 2016 before transferring to the Minack Theatre in Cornwall where it was awarded best production of 2016. David is married with four children and works in the City as a management consultant.