Why I Love: Hawaiian strumming

Nicky Campbell, broadcaster

Interview by Hermione Eyre

Sunday 11 January 2009

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I'm never alone with my ukelele. If I'm away at a hotel, I'll be lying on the bed in my M&S pants, with Strictly Come Dancing on in the background, strumming away, making up songs.

It's not a very difficult instrument to learn. My mentor is Steven Sproat, who's a bit of a guru, and I now have two ukeleles, for their different tones. The other day I took one into the studio with me and serenaded my colleagues. Play one song on the ukelele and everyone smiles. Play two songs and they stop smiling pretty quickly.

It's a unique little instrument, though, isn't it? Hawaiian in origin, English in its eccentricity. And by the way, I can't stand George Formby.

Nicky Campbell presents the new 'Breakfast Phone-in', weekdays from 9am to 10am, part of 5 Live Breakfast on BBC Radio 5, from tomorrow.

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