Dear is here

Pretty presenter charms viewers

By Suwitcha Chaiyong
Photos by Varuth Hirunyatheb

Among the many hosts on Thai television, Lilly McGrath (Dear) stands out as a skillful anchor that charms viewers with her unpretentious personality and witty responses.

The 30-year-old Dear has recently been a host on Thieng Rai Wan (Daily Noon) and Wan Ban Thoeng (Entertainment News) on Channel One during weekdays.

When she was a child, Dear got used to public speaking because she was always selected by her friends to present assignments in front of the class. While at school, the outgoing Dear was a class president, a sports day president, a cheerleader and a gold medal athlete.

The pretty host started her TV work on travel and food shows. She then hosted a health programme for four years before joining Channel One. Aside from being a TV host, Dear has also acted in high-rating TV dramas such as Madam Dun (Talent Scout) and Sapai Jao (Royal In-Law).

Student Weekly recently met up with the cheerful Dear at Channel One to ask her about her work, her co-hosts and her tips for aspiring TV presenters.

Student Weekly: Did you enjoy hosting the health programme, Puea Thoe [For You], for four years?

Dear: It turned me into a health guru! I learned a lot while hosting that programme. As well as learning about health issues, I tried to keep up-to-date with the daily news to keep myself informed.

Student Weekly: How did you develop your hosting skills?

Dear: When I worked with other hosts, I observed how they handled the shows. I learned a lot from my current co-host, Pae Wisawa. He advised me not to use any redundant words. I took that advice, and when I watched my show I felt that I'd improved.

Student Weekly: What is DJ Pae Wisawa like in person?

Dear: Pae is nice, funny and professional. I'd never worked with anybody as hyperactive as him before. Our interaction on the show is always spontaneous. We don't prepare anything in advance.

Student Weekly: Do you enjoy working with Can Atirut?

Dear: Can is a fast learner. He's charming when hosting the show. Though he has a good sense of humor, he rarely makes jokes because he's responsible for the hard news. He has to maintain a sensible image.

Student Weekly: How do you feel about presenting celebrity gossip news?

Dear: I was never interested in gossip about celebrities before. Fortunately, at Channel One, we don’t report gossip in a negative way. Hosting this show has increased my knowledge in areas like health, fashion and entertainment.

Student Weekly: Do you have to prepare a lot before acting in a TV drama?

Dear: Absolutely. Playing Lora in Talent Scout was the toughest because she was totally different to me. Lora was a secretary who was pretending to be a maid. The director told me that I had to play the maid naturally, so I had to do a lot of research. I watched several other dramas and observed maid characters.

Student Weekly: What should aspiring TV hosts do to prepare for this kind of career?

Dear: It's important to be yourself. You also need to learn how to speak clearly, and study general knowledge as much as possible. If you have a lot of information, you can adapt to any guest on a show and come across as a well-informed person.

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