BA English and Drama. Class of 1974.
TV Executive
In the world of television there aren’t many shows bigger than America’s Got Talent and American Idol. Trish Kinane has been responsible for bringing them to our screens and selling show formats worldwide. We caught up with Trish to ask her a few questions about her career and her time at Swansea.
How did you end up at Swansea University?
I attended Our Lady’s Convent School in Cardiff and even back then I knew I wanted a career in media.
Swansea University was a magical three years in a beautiful environment. It was one of the few Universities offering a Joint Honours Degree in English and Drama which enhanced the career path I had chosen.
What were the top 3 things you remember about your time at Swansea University?
The Gower - So beautiful and a great counterpoint to stress!
My Drama Tutors - they were fun, knowledgeable and very supportive
The Taliesin Theatre - a fantastic resource which put on some amazing plays
How did your degree prepare you for your career in TV?
The specific subjects of English and Drama were directly useful in my TV career. My degree encouraged a love of reading and scripts, working with actors/on screen talent and acting, and an experimental approach to the work.
How did you make the transition from University to TV?
It was tricky to get into television, you had to be a member of the Union, but it was the only thing I ever wanted to do. I travelled around a bit after university and met a South African guy who told me they had just started a television industry there, so I got on a boat and went. South Africa’s public television station was starting up and I got a job with SABC. South African TV at that time was run by a lot of Brits. It was an amazing time to be there, I got to try lots of things in front of and behind the camera. I was based in Johannesburg and worked mainly on documentaries. It was also the time of the Soweto riots so there was a lot going on. I got a year of experience there and then managed to come back to the UK and got a job with Granada Television.
How did you progress through the industry?
I stayed at Granada for 10 years, working my way up from promotions script writer, researcher and producer. I then went to Tyne Tees Television as Controller of Entertainment and Children’s Programming and was the exec producer of the first series of The Word for Channel 4. I then joined Stephen Leahy, who would become my business partner, at the launch of (UK formats indie) Action Time, and that was the beginning of the format industry in the UK and around the world. We eventually sold that to Carlton TV and started Ludus Television, which was a format creation company with a bit of production mixed in. Fremantle Media then asked if I would join as President of Worldwide Entertainment, which I did for a year before I was asked to go to the USA to run The X Factor, America’s Got Talent and American Idol. I planned to stay for 3 weeks and 10 years later I’m still here!
You’ve met lots of famous people? Who’s been the nicest or best to work with?
I have had the opportunity to work with many famous and talented people and they all have something special - you can see why they became famous! I was incredibly impressed with the work ethic of Katy Perry and Jennifer Lopez. They managed to fit huge amounts of work into the tightest of schedules and did it in a professional and good-humoured way.
Harry Connick Junior is also a favourite with his incredible musical knowledge and sense of humour and Lionel Richie is just the nicest guy with an incredible track record.
The Word was completely new for TV. It was edgy and chaotic. How did you know it would be a success and what is your favourite memory from the show?
I’m not sure we knew The Word was a success straight away but it was huge fun to work on. We gave many artists like Kurt Cobain their first British TV appearance and the Showrunner, Charlie Parsons is a creative genius who also invented The Big Breakfast and Survivor. I think my favourite, or certainly vivid, memory is when security thought we had someone with a gun running around on the studio floor just before we went live with the show.
What is it about formats like X Factor and Talent that give then such longevity. How do you keep the viewers interested for so long?
The big talent shows like American Idol, X Factor and Got Talent all have simple formats where talented people, through the process of taking part in the shows, can change their lives. In the case of the music shows, kids are turning 15 every year and so can enter, and the music changes constantly so that the shows are refreshed.
What advice would you give to students who want to pursue your career?
Be focussed, know what you want to achieve. You also need to be hard-working and persistent.
