BIO

If anyone embodies the spirit of reinvention it's 72 year old Steve Blacknell. From toilet cleaner (Steve says ''I was so good - after six months they gave me a brush''), to record company executive. From 80’s TV fame to award winning American MTV notoriety. From self-imposed Hollywood film failure to London’s leading media networker, and ... from being acclaimed as one of the UK’s leading TV presenter coaches - to .... whatever is next?  This is the bizarre and wacky world of Mr Blacknell.

Steve is a veteran broadcaster, journalist, media innovator and born storyteller whose five-decade career has taken him from the glam and chaos of the 70's music scene to the bright lights of MTV and beyond. Bursting onto the media landscape as Europe’s first ''Video Jockey” - he became known for his dynamic energy and on -screen charisma - and most memorably for crossing the Atlantic with Phil Collins on Concorde for Live Aid, an iconic moment in music history.

His story, however, goes far deeper than showbiz. With humour, candour and emotional honesty, Steve shares his long-hidden battle with bulimia, a mental health struggle he kept secret even while enjoying extraordinary success in the public eye. His lived experience navigating fame, inner turmoil and eventual redemption - it all forms a central and powerful thread in his talks today.

Steve speaks to the pressures of performance the destructive pursuit of perfection and the healing that comes from vulnerability and truth.

Steve’s career began in the 1970s as a PR executive for Decca and Jive Records (where he signed his musical heroes A Flock Of Seagulls), before he transitioned into television during the 1980's, becoming a fixture on BBC Breakfast Time and later Hollywood correspondent for BSKYB. He has since worn many creative hats - voiceover artist, writer, band manager, media guru and trainer to organisations including the BBC and Carnival Cruises. His work has connected him with everyone from Prince Philip to Bob Hope, Dudley Moore, Tiny Tim, Tina Turner and Bill Wyman and he remains a passionate advocate for creative expression and the power of storytelling laden with characteristic humour and self-depreciation.  He also talks of his first love - a brown eyed girl from Kent who would go on to be Kate Bush.

Today, as CEO of the Central London Academy of TV and Media, Steve continues to inspire with talks that blend 80's nostalgia, music television history and deeply personal reflections on mental health, identity, and reinvention. As the author of the BBC's ''Top of the Pop'' anniversary books or speaking openly about battling bulimia in a world that rarely talked about male eating disorders, Steve brings warmth, wit and wisdom to every stage he steps on.

As Steve says ..''I really hate name dropping .. in fact, I was only telling Paul McCartney the other day how much I hated it''.

Steve’s memoirs ''Tales From the Bedroom Wall - The Life and Times of a Serial Thrillseeker'' will be available globally on Amazon by The Old Treacle Partnership on July 9th.

Steve’s speaking topics include:

• Behind the Eyeliner: My Life in 80s Music & Television - a riotous, nostalgic journey through the golden age of pop, TV and MTV—from backstage at Top of the Pops to the drama of Live Aid. Expect larger-than-life characters, unforgettable mishaps and the untold stories behind the cameras.

• Hidden in Plain Sight: A Man’s Battle with Bulimia - Steve lifts the lid on his decades-long battle with bulimia—something he concealed while living in the limelight. A raw, insightful talk challenging the stigma around male mental health and eating disorders, filled with hope, honesty, and humour.

• Reinvention at Any Age: How to Keep Creating When the World Changes - drawing on five decades of career pivots—from music PR to TV presenting, radio, writing and running a media academy - Steve shares lessons in staying relevant, resilient and inspired in a fast-moving world.

• Surviving the Spotlight: Fame, Pressure & Mental Health -what happens when the public persona and private struggles collide? Steve explores the emotional cost of visibility, performance and perfectionism - delivering a talk that resonates with creatives, professionals and students alike.

• Finding Your Voice: Storytelling, Self-Expression & Speaking Your Truth - a talk for aspiring creatives, broadcasters, or anyone who’s lost touch with their voice. Steve shares how reconnecting with his story - and finally telling the truth - transformed his life and his purpose.

Further information, please get in touch with Deborah:

hello@papillonspeakers.com

07814 934740