Hackney People
Eddie Nestor
The 'I Love Hackney' brand might have been made for actor, comedian, radio presenter and all round entertainer Eddie Nestor.
Born Edward Augustus Matthew Christopher Nestor in Hackney Hospital, Eddie does indeed promote the borough for all he's worth - even though he now lives just across the border.
"Wherever I live, I am a Hackney boy at heart and I tell people that as often as I can," he says.
Eddie plans to jog a lot of local memories when he broadcasts live from Ridley Road Market this month. The BBC London 94.9 bus will be based in the market from 19 to 21 May, and Eddie is inviting local people to come and tell him what they think about the 2012 Games.
Eddie is looking forward to being back in the market, he says: "I spent so many Saturdays there as a child, waiting for my mum as she talked and talked and talked. I also love the Marshes and I remember in the days when I was fit I used to run around and around the place."
Eddie's rise to fame wasn't straightforward. After failing his 11-plus exam, he went to Upton House School in Homerton, which he calls 'the university of life'. He adds: "It is my biggest hang-up that I didn't go to university. I have a fixation with it. Even the people employed to answer the phone at BBC London have degrees."
Television was his first big break into the industry, with three years and 37 episodes on Casualty. Following that were roles in 'The Real McCoy', 'Desmond's', 'Trainspotting' and the BBC's 'Canterbury Tales'.
"My parents were really inspirational, they never really pushed me, but they didn't put me off either. That's what I always say to young people now - you can be who you want to be, do what you want to do. The only limit to what you can achieve is the limit of your own imagination."
After moving into broadcasting, Eddie won the Sony Award in 2007 for Speech Broadcaster of the Year. He continues to have an interest in acting and like so many Londoners, counts the Hackney Empire as one of his favourite places: "I spend as much time there as I can, both on stage and watching shows. It is a national treasure and produces the best pantos in the country," he adds.
On 19 May, Eddie will be grilling local politicians about the Games - so what does he think of the world's biggest sporting competition coming to town? "I hope that the sense of pride and togetherness we witnessed as a result of the Royal Wedding will be replicated throughout the 2012 host boroughs," he says.
If we're all advocates of Hackney as much as Eddie Nestor, then that shouldn't be too hard.
Curriculum vitae
- 1964 Born Hackney Hospital
- 1970s Attends Rushmore primary and Upton House secondary in Hackney
- 1987-89 Appears in BBC drama Casualty
- 1991-6 Appears in The Real McCoy
- 1996 Roles in Trainspotting and Desmond's
- 2002 Starts work at BBC London Radio
- 2003 Appears in the BBC's Canterbury Tales
- 2007 Sony Award, Speech Broadcaster of the Year
Page updated: 24 Jun 2011
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