Best known as a leading BBC newsreader of the 1980s, Jan's distinguished TV career has included presenting Pebble Mill at One in the 1970s, appearing as a contestant on ‘I’m a Celebrity….’ in 2006 and as a participant in ‘The Real Marigold Hotel’ experience in 2016. She tells us about her love of history, her involvement in an extraordinary war-time story - and the TV show she'd love to have presented....

What a busy and interesting life you lead, Jan! Of all the different sorts of TV work you’ve done, though, what have you most enjoyed and why?

It's my days of interviewing guests and documentary making that I treasure most - I loved doing the research and giving my guests the opportunity to tell their stories. I met so many interesting people - actors, authors and film stars like Omar Sharif and Joan Collins.

What do you think of today's TV?

I don’t watch much Terrestrial TV these days - so many game shows and soaps. I enjoy a good documentary but many are fleshed out to fill an hour when the information could so easily be contained in half that time. I also get very irritated by the modern habit of waving arms and hands all over like a demented windmill. My training was to remain still, so the audience concentrated on your words not your flaying arms. The Antiques Road Show is one of my favourite programmes, as I’ve always had an interest in history and antiques. Fiona Bruce is very fortunate to front that programme - it's one I would love to have presented. I watch the local Meridian news and very much admire Matt Teale. He’s a brilliant presenter and reminds me very much of my News Co-presenter at HTV West, Bruce Hockin. We had a great relationship on air and Matt has that same quality - he's so relaxed and friendly. A change that make me sad is the dumbing down of so much television - where vulgarity is accepted as a normality.

We mentioned your book ‘Free French Spitfire Hero’ in our March issue. How did you get involved in such an extraordinary story?

Having been invited to attend the Battle of Britain Memorial Day at Capel-le-Ferne in July 2007, I wanted to sponsor one of the names on The Sir Christopher Foxley Norris Wall of Remembrance there. As none of my family had been in the RAF, and being of French origin way back, I said I'd like a French name. I was allocated that of Commandant/ Squadron Leader René Mouchotte.

Looking his up on the internet, I saw he’d written diaries during the war that had been published in French in 1949 and reprinted in English in 1956 and I had to have a copy. I was very moved by the extremely personal writing - the dedication to duty and the longing to see his family again and horrid experiences like seeing his best friend die in front of him.

My own ‘Search for René Mouchotte’ would take 15 years and led me eventually to René’s sister Jacqueline, whom I met in December 2011 - the day after her 101st Birthday. With the help of a friend with contacts in the RAF we secured René's then-missing British medals and gave them to Jacqueline in June 2012 - she died three weeks later. René’s medals were presented to the Mouchotte family by the British Ambassador to Paris - Sir, now Lord, Peter Ricketts who kindly wrote the Foreword to the republished diaries ‘Free French Spitfire Hero’, and my search was written as the Epilogue to the book.

You've long lived in Kent - tell us what's special about the county for you?

I was born in Barnehurst but my parents moved shortly afterwards and I didn't come back to live here until 1998. One of the things I like is its proximity to France - but Brexit and Covid and the Eurostar no longer stopping at Ashford have put paid to the pleasure of easy visits. I love history, the Kent castles - Hever is a favourite - and my work at Canterbury Cathedral, where I've been a volunteer for 12 years. I work a shift on Sundays and now give two talks on Thomas Becket and the Black Prince. I love sharing my knowledge - such as it is - and love of the Cathedral with the public.