Derek Marks TV Presenter

​Thinking that his dream of working in radio would be over there and then, he made moved into IT and worked for United Utilities and Shell Oil in Manchester - even spending a year on a project in The Hague in the Netherlands along the way. He then moved on to work for a company building a prospective call centre (that he knew would never happen) and decided enough was enough.

He resigned the same day and decided to go and see if he could make a move to radio. He literally went for broke - and was!!

He started by reading travel news for AA Roadwatch, as well as presenting radio live at Blackpool Pleasure Beach for two seasons - oh, and starting an unofficial website for a new radio station in the North West, Wish FM in Wigan. Here's where good luck and fortune started to play its part. One of the stations he was reading the travel for first offered him some shows and Wish FM allowed him studio time to 'play' in their studios. Alongside all of that, wonderful and legendary mentor Robin Ross in Blackpool decided to turn Derek into a DJ (he wasn't sure, but went with it!).
Both proved immensely valuable for what lay ahead. Many quiz nights, weddings and ice-skating beat nights later he found himself with a busy diary and plenty of work around the North West.

After many trial and internet radio stations, he ended up presenting full-time for the very first radio station he broadcast on - in glorious Southport. He started with the weekend breakfast show - and was soon handed the station's flagship breakfast show (very much not his time of day!!). It lasted for around 9 months - and some of the best time in radio.

Derek jumped sideways from radio to join the launch team for shopping channel 'Yes/Price Crash TV' in Manchester. Working among the shopping telly greats of the time, Derek found his own way of making shopping fun, factual and entertaining all in one whilst working live or recorded. He was used by the channel regularly for repeat show infomercials including the flaming bonnet demo for the channel's car polish. He went on to launch and develop the channel's jewellery strand, Gemtique.

Well that started something. From Price Crash TV, Derek appeared at JML Direct on a TV product launch campaign for the 'Doktor Power' product, popped into Ideal World briefly to launch some products.

He was part of the Gems TV team for nearly two years, initially to cover maternity leave for Angeline Davies - becoming one of the most successful presenters for the channel at that time. He was one of the first shopping presenters to appear on the new Prime time slots on the new Freeview TV platform.

He moved into lifestyle and news reading for a wee while too in Manchester - fronting 'Shine!', a live This Morning style format for two years with successful Radio and Podcast producer, Amy Elizabeth.

2009-16 Derek presented at TJC (The Jewellery Channel) for seven years. With a wealth of gemstone experience he designed pieces of jewellery, travelled around the world reporting from the company HQ in India and trade fairs whilst assisting the buying team in finding products. He also played a key role in customer promotional events.

2010 - Derek was instrumental in bringing The Liverpool Cruise Club (now called Vision) to television as a presenter, consultant and producer. From a chance phone call, Derek found the right peopl to make it happen and the shows were on air four weeks later. He fronted popular cruise shows in studio and on location for almost five years and an entertainment series "The Showcase".

2014 - Derek changes course and sets sail for a new exciting adventure for Cruise 1st TV to bring a fresh outlook on cruise holiday packages. The company had already been on TV before, but this new chapter was seen major success on TV - and gave birth to not just one, but two new dedication TV channels for the company. Derek hosts with TV wife Emma Redman.

He also joined the UK family footwear business Pavers, presenting footwear, fashion and promotional shows on the world's only 24 hour shoe channel. The channel relaunched with a number of personality presenters from their own studio facility in York.

2016 saw another change in direction as Derek was engaged as a consultant by UK publisher Immediate Media. The company acquired the JewelleryMaker TV channel in late 2015 and have now launched another channel, 'The Sewing Quarter' in early 2017. Derek collaborated with the project team on style, look and feel, customer journey and many other aspects of presentation. He presented test formats for the channel, and provides presentation cover for the channel.

2017 saw Derek join JewelleryMaker as a freelance presenter, working with a team of talented guest designers and once again revisiting his love of gemstones. A surprise call also came when Derek was asked to present again a revival of the Price Crash TV format for television. After an absence on screen for over a decade, the famous deals are back on screen again.

2018 saw Derek continue to present with the JewelleryMaker and Sewing Quarter teams on-air. He has also been invited to consult on programming for Gibraltar's independent radio station, Rock Radio.

He is working to train, develop and mention the on-air team as well as fronting a show 5 nights a week. He has also led recruitment, S&P activity and generally enjoying a lovely second workplace in the sun.

2019 has been an interesting year with plenty of trips out to Gibraltar for Rock Radio. There have been more appearances for Sewing Quarter and JewelleryMaker. There was a cruise with Celebrity Cruises on their new ‘Edge’ ship, the first LIVE show for Cruise 1st TV in our new studio centre in Greater Manchester - and a surprise return to Gems TV to cover some shows after a gap of 10 years back at the Eagle Road Studios. In November, Derek also joined the team at Hochanda - again working with craft and hobbies, joining a number of creative crafters across many different mediums.

2020 January saw the start of CRUISE DEALS LIVE on Cruise 1st TV, a weekly one-hour LIVE show dedicated to the latest offers. In February, Derek stepped on board with Virgin Voyages on to the brand new Scarlet Lady and managed to sneak in a little getaway to Lanzarote.
Then the world paused for a few months ...........
in July, Derek joined Crafter's Companion to present their online channel, Crafter's TV

As well as TV clients, Derek has formulated sales formats and styling for the likes of ao.com (the UK's largest white goods online retailer), Express Gifts, Kleeneze, iwantoneofthose.com and many others. A major retail client in the US reported a sales uplift in excess of 600% with a series of videos.

He continues to work with many clients and presenters and develop strategies to increase sales in this ever competitive field. His voice is used for many corporate presentations, e-learning, television commercials and radio campaigns.

His broadcasting career all stemmed from a love of radio, and Derek has presented for many commercial stations over the years, including Magic and Heart. He spent four years on a former local station Lancashire and Merseyside, Dune FM. He increased weekend breakfast show audience listening to the peak of the week before taking over the flagship breakfast show.

In 2010, Derek headed to North Lancashire and South Cumbria at The Bay (now Heart), where he increased audience nearly threefold for the Saturday lunchtime show before continuing to cover shows, events and outside broadcasts for the station. In 2014, he joined new online radio station Diva Radio to present the 'On your Marks', the station breakfast show.

After living in Lancashire for over 20 years, Derek now lives in North Yorkshire with his partner of many years and two gorgeous Tonkinese rescue cats called Bobble and Pickle.

He enjoys driving (good job really) around the UK and spending time either in the garden, or with a combination of water and as much sunshine as possible. He is now toying with the idea of bringing the many other elements of his story together one day. Whenever he can't tell you something on-screen he says 'It'll be in the book'. One day that book will come!! WHO KNOWS WHAT COMES NEXT ON THE JOURNEY?

Thanks for reading - you deserve a medal for getting this far.

You can also contact Derek direct via e-mail - [email protected]