Kara Gillespie Wins BAFTA’s Young Presenters Competition

Kara ©BAFTA Quetzal Maucci, 2024

We are beyond proud to announce that talented City of Glasgow College NQ Television and Podcasting student, Kara Gillespie, has won BAFTA’s prestigious Young Presenters Competition! This incredible achievement is part of BAFTA’s initiative to nurture the UK’s brightest young creative talents.

As the winner of her category, Kara will embark on a year-long journey filled with mentoring, industry connections, and exciting interview opportunities. Coming up soon, she will join the Young BAFTA team on the Isle of Bute for a special stop at Rothesay Academy during the Young BAFTA Roadshow.

Kara, who joined our NQ programme just this August expressed that, “Starting at City of Glasgow College has been a great experience. I’ve really enjoyed learning about television and podcasting, and everyone has been really supportive, which has helped me settle in.”

Kara showcased her skills as part of the competition by interviewing notable figures, including presenter and journalist Ogo A. Joy, Young BAFTA Advisory Group Chair Andrew Miller MBE (a cultural consultant and disability advocate), and creative entrepreneur Nigel Twumasi.

Additionally, Kara submitted an inspiring short video on the theme "My Voice Matters," tied to Children’s Mental Health Week. This year marks the eighth anniversary of the Young Presenters competition, a vital part of BAFTA’s year-round programming, which includes workshops, roadshows, and events at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly.

Reflecting on her remarkable win, Kara shared: “Being chosen as BAFTA’s Young Presenter 2024 is an amazing opportunity! I’m really excited to meet new people, learn new things, and work on projects that can help me get better at presenting.

“In the future, I want to work in TV and to continue my content creation. I know that the college will help me develop the skills I need to follow my dreams.”

We could not be prouder of Kara’s incredible achievement. Her Television (Media) lecturer, Laura Dickinson, shared that she is "absolutely delighted for her," and Associate Dean of Broadcasting & Multimedia, Jacquie Shaw, called it "pretty wonderful."

We are excited to see what Kara accomplishes next and will continue to support her as she pursues her studies with us here at City of Glasgow College.