Konnie Huq - Brains, Beauty & Brown... Who Huq? - Bio facts! Birthdate 17th July 1975 Home London Height 1.6m Bad Habits Very Impatient Education Graduate Sisters Rupa & Nutun Favourites: Bands: Garbage & The Prodigy; Colour: Green; Film: Trading Places; TV: Friends & Simpsons; Clothes: Army Trousers   Konnie's Q & A What languages do you speak? I speak Bengali but not Hindi. Would you say you were a muslim? Yes I would - definately. Are your parents practising muslims? Yes, they pray, but they don't go to the mosque everyday. Can you read Arabic? No, I can't read Arabic? Do you know any prayers? No, not really. I know 'Li ilaha ill lilla' [1st kalma] and sort of 'bismillah' but really no more than that. Can you make a round chapatti? No, I can't make a chapatti? Do you watch any Bollywoody films? I saw 'Monsoon Wedding' recently - I thought is was very good. How did you get into TV? I sort of fell into it. I did an open audition for a TV programme and then it went on from there. Do you like your job? Oh yeah, I enjoy my job; and the money's good! How do your parents feel about your career, are they supportive? Yes, my parents are very supportive of my career. You've got two sisters, are they married? Well, the eldest one is married [Nutun]; she just had her second baby a month a go, and the other one [Rabiah known as 'Rupa'] is unmarried, like me. I understand Rupa's a journalist? Well, she's written some articles for a Manchester magazine. She's a DJ and a lecturer [University of Manchester] and she's also a member of the Labour party. She's hoping to become an MEP [Rupa's a potential candidate for the 2004 Euro Elections]. How does it feel to be the first Asian presenter on the programme? Adults make more of an issue of it, but the kids don't. They just treat you like anyone else. Do you still get nervous before a broadcast? No, not any more. I'm a veteran now! What's your schedule on a broadcast day? My schedule on a broadcast day is to get to the studio by 8.30, then start rehearsing the pieces and work out the camera blocking, stuff like that. There's lunch and then we have a dress rehearsal at 3.30 and we're given notes by the producer about our performance, things like that. And then at 5 we go live and do the show. Do you watch your yourself afterwards? I do watch myself afterwards, but you can't help being critical. Like if something didn't work out or if I fiddled too much, or I did something I don't like. Do you have long term plans? I just go with the flow, don't make any plans. Konnie spoke to us on 22/1/2003. This is an edited extract of the conversation. " Konnie Quotes" "I like summertime, because people always seem happy in summer, and things seem easier, and it's daylight for longer, and everything is happy." "My favourite place is my bed, because I love sleeping. I could sleep forever sometimes, and I love being all cosy and comfy in my bed!" "When I was a child I wanted to be a doctor, and my favourite school subject was art!" Konnie Clicks The Day Job Blue Peter The Fan Site Konnie's World The Family Site Dr Rabiah 'Rupa' Huq If you know of any other suitable sites use the link below to let us know! New Konnie Links Beeb Blurb!! Konnie became Blue Peter's 26th presenter on December 1st, 1997. She was the programme's first Asian presenter and before coming to Blue Peter was a presenter on Milkshake, and The Mag (Channel 5). She started her presenting career when she was 17, fronting a number of children's programmes on The Children's Channel and GMTV. An Economics graduate from Cambridge, Konnie was no stranger to children's television when she joined the team - at the age of 14 she was a guest on Blue Peter when she appeared with the National Youth Orchestra. She also appeared on Newsround as a child, when she interviewed Neil Kinnock before the General Election in 1992. Among Konnie's many Blue Peter highlights are learning to scuba dive, visiting Mozambique to open one of the schools paid for by money raised during the Blue Peter New Future Appeal in 1999, and a trip to the village in Bangladesh that her family originate from. Special Thanks Konnie Huq for giving the interview & Adam Tanswell (CBBC Publicity) for arranging it.

ty) for arranging it.