Alex Jones on 15 years presenting The One Show

Alex Jones marks 15 extraordinary years as host of The One Show with a special anniversary episode.

The one-off show, on Friday 8 August, is packed with special guests and surprises.

Here, Alex takes a look back at her journey and revisits some of her most memorable moments…

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Interview with Alex

Congratulations on 15 years presenting on The One Show – how does it feel?

Thank you so much! I feel incredibly proud to have been on the iconic sofa for all these years. It certainly doesn’t feel like 15 years, and it still feels fresh, as the show keeps evolving. I feel like we keep coming back better and better.

I started as a young girl and I feel like I’ve grown up with our viewers. They have seen me through all my big life moments like getting engaged and married, to having children. Our viewers are like extended family by now!

What’s the secret to The One Show? Why has it been going for nearly 20 years? Why is it so special for people?

I think the reason is it really strikes a chord with people because we sit right at the heart of the nation. Our job, essentially, is to reflect what’s going on. All the small daily bits and pieces, but also the big events that affect the country. When we reflect and report on those big events such as D Day, or when the Queen died, all of those life-changing events, I think we find a human way to do it, a way that connects with people and makes them feel comforted.

Sharing stories and memories that viewers have sent in encapsulates what The One Show is about – heart and warmth.

And I think that our connection with our audience is stronger than it’s ever been. I think that relationship was cemented during the pandemic.

It was a big turning point for the show. We became a life line for some of our viewers and they trusted us to reflect on the bizarre situation we as collectively found ourselves, but also balance that with stories that distract from the news. We were the light at the end of sometimes a very dark news bulletin. The viewers kept me sane as much as I did them!

You must have so many favourite moments, but could you share some of your most memorable times?

For me, one of the highlights is definitely the One Big Thank You, because when it started out, it started with a bang. I think people loved it immediately. When I bump into viewers out and about, it’s the thing that they always want to talk about. People look forward to a Thursday, I look forward to a Thursday, because it’s a real way of showcasing people who work tirelessly, who do amazing things for others that you wouldn’t hear about otherwise.

And I think it works really well set against the big celebrity interviews, because on what other show are you’re going to have that? Literally nowhere!

You could have George Clooney and Tom Hanks on the sofa and then we showcase the work of somebody who’s done something incredible in the community. It could be a child, or it could be somebody in their 80s. I’m so glad that our show can shine a light on these people.

What are some of your other show highlights?

It’s got to be some of the guests we’ve had! Whether it’s Robert De Niro, Julianne Moore, Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper, Jackie Chan or Linda from the Traitors, we get to be the first to ask questions about the TV or film moments or icons that everyone is talking about. It’s particularly special when it’s people I’m a fan of.

I love having people like Liz Hurley and her son Damian on, because this show has built up a reputation as a safe space for celebrities to come and actually be themselves. I was just fascinated by them! They told me all sorts of things, like, ‘Oh yeah, we live in Wales, and we try not to come to London too often, and we just love being in the garden.’ And I thought, this is just amazing – really honest and down-to-earth.

What are some of your most inspiring moments?

I absolutely love 500 Words – the BBC’s Writing competition for young people. That, I think is one of my favourite things. Obviously, its conception was years and years ago, but since it came to The One Show, I’ve had the chance to become more involved. I think as well, in that time I’ve become a mum, and kids’ reading and writing is so important. There’s horrible statistics around about children not writing, not using pens anymore, not being creative and so for me, I think that is one of the most worthwhile things that we are involved with.

It’s amazing to be at Buckingham Palace with Queen Camilla who supports 500 Words, but really at the heart of it is something that’s so important, and the legacy of that competition will run and run because, you know, other children watch, and they want to get involved the year after. I think it’s just doing such an important job for kids.

Do campaigns like Children In Need help with reaching different audiences?

I think The Challenge Squad has been a huge hit and success. One of my favourite moments ever in 15 years was seeing a young person called Emily , who has Cerebral Palsy, take part in last year’s Challenge Squad. Her challenge was to walk down the long walk towards Windsor Castle, and we honestly didn’t know whether she was going to make it.

I went down to the finish line, and we still didn’t know if she would make it. She was coming really slowly, but when she crossed that finish line, oh my goodness, I had all of the emotions, you just felt so proud of her, so humbled by what she’d just done. I think that really touched the hearts of everybody who was watching. It was an unbelievable moment. The Challenge Squad do these amazing performances and are really at the centre of the Children in Need show.

Knowing that those stories have started on The One Show, it just goes to show how much of an important job it has in setting up those big charity nights as well. I feel more and more that we’re at the heart of everything that happens on the BBC and that’s a really nice place to be.

Who was your first ever guest on The One Show, how did it go?

Whoopi Goldberg was my first guest. And you know what? I was obsessed with the film Ghost. So I was like, ‘Oh, my goodness, it’s Whoopi bloomin Goldberg’.

Suddenly there I was, seven o’clock on BBC One. And then here comes Whoopi Goldberg, and I have to explain to her, this is my first ever live show, and I’m so sorry. And she’s like, ‘it’s gonna be great’ and it was!

Instead of getting nervous, I thought, no I’m going to enjoy it, because I probably won’t be here for very long and I love Ghost, so let’s go and it was brilliant.

Let’s talk about your co-hosts…

What a lucky girl I am! I have Roman now, and Vernon and JB, as well as Clara and Lauren, and they couldn’t be a lovelier bunch. I think the beauty about this lineup is that it lets the show drive forward, because each one of those brilliant broadcasters they all bring something very different. What Lauren will bring to the mix is very different to Roman. Equally, what Clara brings is different to me, different to Vernon. So it all boils into a pot because we serve a hugely diverse audience in terms of age and background, and we all bring a little piece of something different. Nobody just wants to see me that would be boring! It’s really nice to have this brilliant team of lovely, seasoned, brilliant broadcasters.

And of course we have Matt and Nikki hosting Watchdog each Wednesday. I mean the fact that Watchdog is 40, that in itself is a huge milestone, and the fact that the brand has been so successful and has been around for such a long time as a really trusted voice. We love that it’s found its home now on The One Show.

Any moments where you’ve kind of lost it on the sofa?

So many times… Particularly with Roman and Ronan, and Vernon is also hysterical! I don’t even need to be looking at them, I can feel just by the way they breathe that something funny has happened, and it’s triggered both of us.

It’s obviously not the best thing to happen on live TV, they’re some of my favourite moments, because there’s a funny energy and it makes viewers smile too. It can sometimes just be a stumble on a word, and the gallery would be shouting, stop laughing, and it just makes it worse. It’s like being in an assembly at school where you’re not supposed to laugh!

The’moment that takes the cake is absolutely Sheridan Smith and Stephen Fry getting stuck in the lift and missing the first half of the show. I mean, those are my favourite bits. I think that’s the whole beauty of being live. Things going wrong is what makes us all cry laughing. I think it’s really nice to be laughing heartily, and the audience, hopefully are doing the same at home.

What’s next for The One Show and for you?

I’ll be here as long as they’ll have me! I have loved the last 15 years and love presenting the show and I think we’re just getting stronger and stronger, from stories to guests and presenters.

We’ve got 500 Words coming up next year, at an exciting new venue which we’ll be revealing in September. Plus we’ve our 20th anniversary next year too – can’t wait for that!

The guests we’re getting are more and more exciting, and personally, I’m so excited to be a small part of that.