‘From interviewing Jay Z to record label parties, it never felt like work'

‘It made my career as a journalist,’ says Charlene White of her first job. Photograph: Tessa Newmark

When I was 22, I landed my first broadcasting job as a journalist and news presenter at BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra working alongside the biggest DJs in the country. I couldn’t believe my luck. I was working in the same building as Tim Westwood and Trevor Nelson. I was in awe on a daily basis. It was just surreal: one minute you’re going to Trevor Nelson raves at university – and the next, you find yourself working in the same building as him and his best mates.

I don’t think I’ve ever been part of a group of people like that before at work, where you all have a common thread –this case, music. It’s more unifying than people realise. I got to work with experts within a genre I had grown up loving. We all had similar experiences of going to the same clubs, similar favourite albums.

I worked on such extremely varied topics. One day I would be taking the Eurostar to report on the Paris riots or flying to Miami to cover hip-hop awards. I could be reporting on student riots here or yanking John Legend out of a chair so I could read a news bulletin – which led to Kanye West, who was also in the studio, apologising for not being aware I needed to read the news.

I developed friendships there that I’ll have forever. Working alongside DJ Money-G, who was instrumental in the days of pirate radio, was amazing – we presented a two-hour programme together. I remember we both interviewed Jay Z and there’s this ridiculous picture where I’m trying to look cool but I’m actually in awe of him.

When I look back, I worked on some amazing stories. But they were crazy times. When you’re young you don’t really mind. You could be working 12- or 13-hour days, working on a big story, but it never really felt like work. It was always balanced with things like being backstage at record label parties.

But then you get a bit older and you can’t be raving on New Year’s Eve then getting 45 minutes sleep before working for 12 hours.

I left for a job in Norwich with the BBC. But I look back at those days at BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra, and I know it made my journalistic career. I’m forever indebted and grateful.

Charlene White is a patron of Bowel Cancer UKW