Journalism masterclasses

John Woodhouse

Winner of the Sunday Times Sports Book of the Year 2023 for Unforgettable, detailing the early onset dementia plight of England Rugby World Cup winning hooker Steve Thompson, and 2024 Sunday Times Sports Autobiography of the Year  for Kammy – My Unbelievable Life with Chris Kamara, John Woodhouse is one of the leading ghostwriters in the UK.

He has worked with major figures in sport, celebrity, acting, and business. His books include I Love the Bones of You with Christopher Eccleston,  Phil Tufnell’s How Not To Be A Cricketer and The Tourist, Gareth Thomas’s Stronger, Tales From Jimmy’s Farm with Jimmy Doherty, Fight For Your Life with Amir Khan, and Paul Mullin: My Wrexham Story.

A journalist and writer, John has long experience of working to tight deadlines and is always on the lookout for books that tell deep personal stories. He has just finished working with the comedian Paul Smith and is currently writing his first true crime book.

Also a feature writer of many years, his ability to capture his subjects’ voices and personalities, and to empathise with their varied experiences and circumstances, has won him praise across the board.

David Cottrell

David most recently worked at Reach plc as editor of Liverpool FC’s official publications (2011-2024). 

Having attained a 1st class degree in BA (Hons) English Language & Literature at Birmingham City University in 1990, he began his career as an editorial assistant with 90 Minutes magazine (Dennis) and eventually became editor of Goal magazine (IPC). 

In 2000 David first edited the Liverpool FC matchday programme at Haymarket (APA Customer Magazine Editor of the Year 2001 and PPA Customer Magazine of the Year 2000) then moved back up north to edit a lifestyle magazine and write a weekly column for the Liverpool Daily Post plus official publications for Liverpool City Council to mark European Capital of Culture 2008.

He returned to Haymarket in 2007 as group sports editor delivering content for governing bodies in sport before editing alumni magazines for King’s College London and Goldsmiths College.

From 2011 at Reach, as well as editing the LFC programme and monthly magazine he edited various official club books and co-wrote A Taste of the Liverpool Way: A Recipe For Success, with the club’s head of nutrition Mona Nemmer.

Lanre Bakare (Guardian)

Lanre Bakare was born and grew up in Bradford, West Yorkshire. He is a correspondent covering arts and culture for the Guardian where his writing focuses on the intersection of art, race and culture across multiple disciplines. He was senior correspondent on the award-winning Cotton Capital project which looked into the Guardian's ties to the transatlantic slave trade, and has worked in New York and Los Angeles as part of the Pulitzer Prize winning Guardian US team.

His debut non-fiction book WE WERE THERE will be published by The Bodley Head in 2025.

Anna Edwards (Bloomberg)

Anna Edwards is the co-anchor of “The Opening Trade” on Bloomberg Television and a frequent host of “Bloomberg Daybreak Europe” on Bloomberg Radio. Anna is also the Acting London Bureau Chief for Bloomberg. She has more than twenty years experience in business news having previously worked at CNBC Europe and freelanced for CNN in London. Before working in TV Anna was an equity analyst at UBS and qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Anna has interviewed business leaders, politicians and key economic voices in the UK and globally, including Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson, Keir Starmer, Alison Rose, Richard Branson, Michael O’Leary, Willy Walsh, Charlie Nunn, Pascal Soriot, Christine Lagarde, Jim Bullard, Bill Dudley, Bill Gross, Paul Krugman, Nouriel Roubini and many more.

Iain Overton

Iain Overton, Executive Director of Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) and former BBC and ITN journalist, has researched armed violence in over two dozen global conflict zones. His award-winning human rights reporting has earned a Peabody, two Amnesty Awards, and a BAFTA Scotland. He holds a PhD from Portsmouth and has published two acclaimed books on gun violence and suicide bombings.

Emily Stoker 

Emily is a documentary director and communications consultant. After beginning her career in social media and digital communications, she transitioned to producing television documentaries for commissioners including BBC Studios, Channel 4, and National Geographic. She was chosen by Sheffield International Documentary Festival as an “up and coming talent in broadcast”.

Today, Emily’s work focuses on producing impact films and content for non-profits and purpose-led brands and institutions. She and her team bring together communication strategy skills with documentary production skills to further spread the impact of the client’s work. Clients include names like Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew, University of Birmingham, and European Social Network. Collectively, project results include millions of views, press coverage, and securing six-figure project funding.