Simon Calder Biography
Simon Calder is Britain's leading travel commentator and a charismatic after-dinner speaker on the adventures and misadventures of a travel writer.
Background and career
Simon owes his love of travel to his parents - and in particular their decision to move to Crawley, a new town in Sussex. He was born beside the A23 on Christmas Day, 1955. By the time he was six, he realised that there had to be more to life than this. Fortunately, that summer he joined the Crawley branch of the Woodcraft Folk, and after a camping trip to the Lake District, Simon was hooked.
Later that same year, the USSR decided to send some nuclear warheads to Cuba. President Kennedy threatened retaliation and Simon's parents realised that Gatwick airport, two miles away, was in the line of Soviet fire. So they took the family to Gatwick, and boarded a plane to Guernsey in the Channel Islands, where they stayed for a week before the superpowers stepped back from the brink of nuclear war. Simon has been grateful to Fidel Castro ever since. When Simon was 13 he started to learn the fine art of free travel by hitch-hiking. Four decades later, he is still thumbing his way around the world, augmented by cycling.
Simon’s career began at Gatwick airport, where he cleaned out planes for Sir Freddie Laker and, later, frisked passengers (for a job, that is; not a hobby).
He then started to write travel guidebooks and articles. Today Simon is Senior Travel Editor of The Independent, and also writes for Conde Nast Traveller, BA’s inflight magazine, High Life, and the trade publication, Travel Trade Gazette.
Simon presents Fast Track’s Travel Clinic on BBC Worldwide where he answers viewers travel questions and queries. He also films a Weekly Video Diary which can be found online at the Independent and on his personal website.
He was recently a contestant on Celebrity Mastermind, and his specialist subject was Concord. To his utter surprise, he won.
More recently he was a contestant on Celebrity Eggheads and lost!Simon is also a regular guest on national TV, often seen on BBC Breakfast News, Daybreak, ITV News, CNN and Sky News. He is often interviewed on BBC radio, particularly for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio Five Live.
In 2012 Simon won the award for Outstanding Achievement and Broadcast Journalist of the Year at the Travel Press Awards, and the News Journalist of the Year for Print at the Business Travel Journalism Awards.
Speaking Topics
Travel editor for The Independent and presenter of the BBC2's Travel Show and the Holiday programme on BBC 1, Simon Calder is a consummate and charismatic after dinner speaker.
- Travel
- TV/Radio presenter
For more information or to book Simon Calder, call us on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
Simon Calder Video
Simon Calder Speaker Showreel - Click play to watch a short sample video clip of Simon Calder. For more information on Simon Calder please contact one of the Speakers Corner booking agents on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
Simon Calder News
A selection of relevant news related to Simon Calder, After Dinner Speakers and Keynote Speakers, Adventure Speakers, Great Value Speakers and TV Presenters stories. For more information on Simon Calder or details as to how to book Simon Calder for your corporate event, please contact one of the Speakers Corner booking agents on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
Nick Baker Most Eligible Presenter
6th November 2012
Nick Baker, TV presenter and awards host, was named the most eligible presenter on Cable by the readers of US People magazine.
Saba Douglas Hamilton Talks Polar Bears
1st August 2012
Wildlife film-maker and eco-activist Saba Douglas-Hamilton Speaks to the Telegraph about The Secret Life of Elephants, and answers some probing personal questions.
Joanna Lumley Campaigns for Improved Conditions for Dairy Cows
21st June 2012
Actress, speaker, and all-round funny lady Joanna Lumley has added some weight to a campaign to improve the health and welfare of dairy cows.
Ben Fogle Announces New Ocean Challenge
19th June 2012
TV adventurer Ben Fogle is taking on his most punishing challenge yet - by swimming to Cornwall across the Atlantic Ocean.
Blue Peter Presenter Helen Skelton Tackles Sport Relief
11th January 2012
Motivational speaker and Blue Peter action girl Helen Skelton takes on the thrilling challenge of Sport Relief with The Polar Challenge.
Adventure for Gadget Show’s Pollyanna Woodward
9th December 2011
Adrenaline junkie Pollyanna Woodward speaks to OK Magazine about her next adventure: the Patrouille des Glaciers - originally organised by the Swiss Army to test the endurance abilities of its mountain troops in World War Two.
Sarah Lloyd-Hughes: ‘How To Be A Brilliant Public Speaker’
7th November 2011
Management Today asks Sarah Lloyd-Hughes, founder of Ginger Training & Coaching and author of ‘How to be Brilliant at Public Speaking’, for her top tips for public speaking.
Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Jeremy Paxman and Tim Harford at Ilkley Literature Festival
28th October 2011
Adventurer and author Sir Ranulph Fiennes; broadcaster and awards host Jeremy Paxman and economist Tim Harford spoke at the Ilkley Literature Festival – a two week literary event held in the miniature Victorian spa town at the foot of Ilkley Moor in Yorkshire every October.
David Aaronovitch and Simon Jenkins Speak at Battle of Ideas
27th October 2011
David Aaronovitch and Simon Jenkins are journalists, broadcasters and columnists, as well as awards hosts and after dinner speakers. They are speaking at the Battle of Ideas - two days of high-level, thought-provoking, public debate organised by the Institute of Ideas, and hosted by the Royal College of Art in London.
Benedict Allen at Cheltenham Literary Festival
4th October 2011
Benedict Allen, adventurer, author and corporate speaker, announces the release of his new book, Into The Abyss, at the Cheltenham Literary Festival.
Simon Calder Reviews
Simon Calder has spoken and appeared at a number of recent corporate events. Please find some client speaker testimonials and reviews for Simon Calder for a number of these events and conferences. If you would like some additional information as to how to book Simon Calder for your corporate event, then please contact one of the Speakers Corner booking agents on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
He was an excellent, professional speaker who delivered humour and interest to his presentation with great ease. He was a delight to work with.
Simon was first class. Professional, humour, relevant. Gave us some good PR mentions in media beforehand. Through the wards he was flexible and again professional. Very approachable from the audience and took Q&As. Would not hesitate inusing Simon again
We really appreciate the energy and creative thinking you bring to the events we organise on regeneration. The contributions you have made to our Magnetic South Conference, the Making of Medway event and Beyond Brighton Pier have been brilliant and we always look forward to working with you.
I want to thank Simon so much for his fantastic contribution to the judging of the Awards and the wonderful way he came across at the event. His presentation was so engaging and the accompanying slides were hilarious. Ive had so much feedback from guests since saying how much they loved listening to Simon speech.
It was a great evening and Simon was, as ever, a real pleasure to work with. I hope we can persuade him to continue to do be our awards host? Can you please pencil us in for next year now?
Personable interesting and interested in the business, equally charming partner who accompanied him on their anniversary, beyond the call!
For further information or to book Simon Calder, call us on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
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