Passed/Failed: An education in the life of Gethin Jones, 'Blue Peter' presenter

Gethin Jones, 29, is the 31st presenter of Blue Peter. Among other things, he has flown with the Red Arrows, played the violin with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, and was the first civilian to get through the 30-mile Royal Marines Commando "yomp"

When I was seven, my mother said I was going to start the violin: "You can give up at Grade VIII." I said, "Thanks, Mum!". I was 16 when I got to Grade VIII. Last year, I played a duet, live on air, with the young violinist Nicola Benedetti - my mother thought I was great. She was a peripatetic violin teacher and taught at Ysgol Gynradd Coed-y-Gof, my primary school in Ely (or Trelai, as it's called in Welsh), near Cardiff. I went back there the other day to film an item on "Wellies Day", a fundraising event in which the children pay to wear their wellington boots. Four of the teachers from my time were still there, and they gave me a This is Your Life book.

My father is a head teacher who is fluent in Welsh, but my ma, who originated from Poland, doesn't speak Welsh but understands it. I was educated in Welsh until university. My secondary school, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf, was down the road from my primary school. I definitely enjoyed it but I have always said that I had to work harder because I was slow to pick things up. My sister would learn something in an hour, I would take three hours.

My dad thought that it was nothing to do with my ability but the fact that I was easily distracted. I always wanted to be outside and active. I never sat down to enjoy anything, I was always busy - doing what, I don't know. I think everyone grows up at different rates.

We did a lot of musicals and I was also in the school orchestra. Then I would look out of the window, see a ball and say, "Let's play rugby!". My mother was not the biggest fan of washing my kit, and she also worried about me hurting my fingers. I actually played rugby for two years without being able to see, as I am short-sighted. I resented the fact that the other boys could see. I went to Australia and Thailand on a rugby tour, but after the first game in Bangkok with the first team, I was dropped.

I should have done music at A-level: I did it at AS-level and got an A. I got an E in biology, D in geography and C in economics. I went to Manchester Metropolitan University to read geography with economics. Until Blue Peter, they were the best three years of my life: to be with your friends, make your own decisions, have all the opportunities of freedom. I loved the learning - and I had the rugby as well.

I'd worn contact lenses for everyday use, and now got soft lenses as a birthday present: 30 pairs, which, as they are changed daily, did me for a rugby season. I became captain of the first team and we got through to the British Universities Sports Association semi-finals. I argue that I was then a better player because originally I couldn't see - other people could see the ball from 30 yards away, but I didn't see it until it was at the end of my nose. This meant that I developed instant, cat-like reactions and powers of anticipation.

If I hadn't played for the university, I would have been a bit short of cash, as rugby stopped me going out and drinking. We played on Wednesday and Saturday, and had training on the other nights. Also, we got a bit of money for playing.

I got a "Desmond" 2.2, and didn't know what I was going to do next. I was offered a trial with Sale RFC. My dad says that rugby is pretty monotonous and you have to be brain-dead to play it - but I have always wondered if I could have made a living at it.

jonty@jonathansale.com