Question Time: Kate Silverton, Presenter

Work:

Co-presents 'BBC Breakfast' with Bill Turnbull and has been standing in for Gabby Logan on her Sunday morning show on Radio 5 Live

Life

: 38, in a relationship, lives in central London

Balance:

Swimming, cycling, Pilates and collecting unusual art

What makes presenting BBC Breakfast worth the early mornings?

The team spirit. When I arrive, most of the crew are already there; and Bill Turnbull is so quirky and sweet.

What else are you working on?

I have been mentoring some children for The Speaker, a BBC programme designed to make them more confident about speaking in public.

What inspired you to become a journalist?

The film Under Fire, about the civil war in Nicaragua in the late 1970s.

Any jobs you'd rather forget about?

None, really. I've done everything from waitressing, working at Marks & Spencer, cleaning loos and building bridges, schools and mud huts in Africa. It's the worst and most horrendous experiences that leave you with the funniest memories.

What has been the high point of your career so far?

Reporting from Iraq. I was sent out to cover the troops over the Christmas period but I returned with an exclusive story that kick-started the debate about accommodation conditions. I was also the only television journalist there on Christmas Day when Jamiat prison was blown up.

And what has been the trickiest job to pull off?

Appearing to be alive, awake and well at 6am each morning...

Whom in the industry would you most like to work with?

My friends Richard Butler, a CBS 60 Minutes producer and photojournalist, and Jim Foster, a cameraman, producer and director with a background in Special Forces. Richard was kidnapped in Iraq last year and I broke the news he had been released on air. It was a tremendous feeling to know that he was OK.

What are your desert island media?

The Independent, Radio 4 or possibly the World Service. Or 5 Live. National Geographic and CSI.