Brighton Lights: Guy Lloyd struts his stuff, in the name of adventure

Never a dull moment

A friend of mine recently described my life as ‘pick ’n’ mix.’ She was referring specifically to the nonsense I get up to in my job, and the consequent pictures I post on facebook and twitter. I don’t always realise it, but looking in from the outside, I do get myself into some strange situations, which I guess is part of the job … but also part of my need for constant adventure and going in to the unknown.

For instance, just in the last couple of weeks, if you are cyber-friends with me you may well have seen me catching a mackerel, taking part in a pottery class and sitting on a sofa with McBusted. I love the variety in my job and I realise I’m a lucky boy. But also isn’t that what life should be about?

You don’t have to work on the radio and telly to experience these things; you can just go out and do them. My mum’s a perfect example of this (it runs in the family). She retired a few years ago, with her husband, to quiet suburban Seaford. However, her life has been far from quiet since. Since stopping work, she’s learnt to kayak, joined a table tennis club and signed up for a course in calligraphy.

My mum’s similar to me in this way. We like taking on challenges, but for me it runs a little deeper than that; it’s a fear of being bored. I don’t like it. Luckily, I haven’t felt it for a while, but it always lurks in the background and that drives me forward to keep busy. It’s not always a healthy thing, I can take too much on, but I’m aware of it and it’s part of me.

I was asked to model on the catwalk (still got it)

Last night was a good example of this. I was asked to model on the catwalk (still got it) for a friend’s charity event and I accepted, despite having modelled before (never lost it). I tend to do things once and move on to the next thing (i.e. mackerel fishing). I’d done modelling before and enjoyed it, but there’s a lot of hanging around backstage, and then after a minute on the stage your night is over.

But something else dawned on me last night. I love being in the limelight (shock) and even if it means waiting backstage for a few hours, that minute on the catwalk is worth every minute of preparation before the show. Apart from bed, the stage is where I’m most comfortable, and it’s something I need in my life at regular periods. I’m very needy like that.

So when the radio and telly dries up and fades away, what will I do? How will I feed my addiction to adventure and being in the spotlight?

I have a plan. I’m basically the next Disco Pete for Brighton.

Follow me: @guy_lloyd