Dan Chambers: My Life In Media

'I flew to the States to conduct an interview, but was so jet-lagged I fell asleep and fell on to the cameraman'

What inspired you to embark on a career in the media?

As I was leaving university I wrote to more than 200 production companies before I got a reply from Psychology News and was taken on as a researcher. I had a great time and learnt a lot making documentaries for strands such as Dispatches and Equinox.

When you were 15 years old, which newspaper did your family get, and did you read it?

My father used to take the Financial Times and my mother occasionally bought the Daily Mail. When I bought a paper myself, it was The Guardian or the Daily Mirror.

And what were your favourite TV and radio programmes?

I used to love Thursday nights on BBC1: Tomorrow's World followed by Top of the Pops followed by Dallas. Living in a multi-channel world, you don't get scheduling like that any more. Tomorrow's World ignited my interest in science programming, and Judith Hann and Maggie Philbin were gods to me in my teens. Surely it's due a comeback.

What media do you turn to first thing in the morning?

I start the day with half an hour of the Today programme at home and in the car on my way into Five's offices in Covent Garden. I'll flick through all the papers while I'm having breakfast in the Five atrium.

Do you consult any media sources during the working day?

I read our daily press cuttings every morning, plus I get the Earlybird digest service to my BlackBerry that gives me an overview of all the media-related stories of the day.

What is the best thing about your job?

I'm very fortunate in that I get to work as part of a team with people I really love working with who have incredible energy and creativity. It's also a great privilege to work somewhere that is part of millions of people's lives every day.

And the worst?

The odd disappointment when the overnight ratings aren't as good as you'd expect, but other than that, not much.

What's the proudest achievement in your working life?

When I was controller of factual at Five I was proud of helping to create series such as Extraordinary People, Revealed and Stranger Than Fiction. Since I've been director of programmes, my proudest achievement has been to expand the range and quality of the shows in Five's schedule.

And what's your most embarrassing moment?

Back in my production company days, I flew to the States to conduct an interview but was so jet-lagged I fell asleep and fell on to the cameraman.

At home, what do you tune in to?

Anything new and interesting. I watch a lot of US shows, many of which are on Five - the CSIs and House, for example. I also love 24. I'm a big fan of comedy: Extras, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Five's sketch show Swinging are favourites of mine. And I'll always have an eye on the next strong format or documentary.

What is your Sunday paper? And do you have a favourite magazine?

I take The Sunday Times for A A Gill and the Culture section and The Observer for the news coverage and reviews.

In addition, I read a wide range of magazines, among them Broadcast, Heat, Radio Times, Time Out, Prospect, Private Eye and Five's in-house email magazine, V.

Name the one career ambition you want to realise before you retire

To write a best-selling thriller.

If you didn't work in the media what would you do?

Something in publishing.

Who in the media do you most admire and why?

Ricky Gervais, Woody Allen and Larry David. Anyone who can make you laugh.

The CV

1988: Begins a degree at Oxford where a friendship with the Marquis of Bath's daughter provides him with diary stories leading to freelance work for the London Evening Standard

1991: Kicks off TV career as a researcher on current affairs programmes including Panorama and Dispatches, before directing science programmes such as Equinox and Big Science

1998: Becomes Channel 4's science editor; is also jointly responsible for the first series of Big Brother

2001: Joins Five as director of factual programmes where his output ranges from World War I in Colour to Britain's Worst Driver

2003: Succeeds Kevin Lygo as Five's director of programmes