About me

From serious news reporting to dressing up as a banana, Anna has enjoyed many presenting roles. She's also managed to notch up a couple of Sony nominations and a New York Award in the process. Starting out at Radio 1, more recently you may have heard her on Capital, Heart, LBC, BBC London and BRMB - and she’s most happy when within close proximity of a microphone...

Read Anna Cookson's full biography

Share The Love

Hello. This is my Love List. Ooh, no, not like that, it’s all a part of QVC’s Share the Love-ness that’s been going on. We’ve all been feeling extremely lovey-dovey and, as that’s a phrase you don’t hear much these days, we thought we’d share it. 

We’ve been sharing it in lots of ways as you’ll know if you’ve been watching. Now, I’ve been asked to share my love which could be a scary thought but isn’t because it just means I’ve been asked to write a list of some of my best loved thingy-me-gigs that we sell here on QVC. 

Titanic update

Just emerging from the olden-day depths of genealogical research, covered in moss from the family tree and dust from my trusty time-transporter... with some Titanic news for you.

If you read my previous blog ‘A Titanic Year’ you’ll know that I recently discovered not only do I have a relative who was onboard that fated vessel - he actually survived the ordeal.

A Titanic year

I want to start this week’s blog by taking a trip back in time.

So, come with me inside our gnarled, antique Grandfather clock time-machine and help me pull back the creaking hands (by the way, we don’t sell these on QVC because you’d keep going back into the past to pay the Introductory Prices and we’d never survive as a business).

Counting your chickens

“Bruuuuck, bruuuuuck, cluck, cluck.”

Which roughly translates from the Chickenese as: "Well hello there and and how are you, I hope you had a marvellous Easter." How was it? Was it filled with family and friends and did most of the things you ate have a gooey chocolate centre? I hope so.

Of course Easter is traditionally the time when chickens flap to the top of the animal charts. There is stiff competition from the ever eager Easter Bunny, but the proliferation of the Easter Egg surely means the hens just clinch it in the seasonal ‘pecking order.’

As a Londoner, it comes as a bit of a surprise to most people that I used to keep chickens. Not least my boss, who, when looking ahead to a chicken book we’re selling here on QVC casually asked me what he thought was a pointless question and was surprised to learn that actually, yes, I have got a history of hen-rearing antics.

Breaking news…

Stop press. The results are in. It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for. The stakes were high, but in the end there could only be one winner.

You may have heard me talking about the ‘Grace-off’ I’ve been having in my shower. If not, let me explain...

It was a baffling conundrum: did I like the ‘Pure Grace’ best, or was my partiality ‘Amazing Grace?’ Hum, decisions, decisions. Fact was, I couldn’t decide between these two fragrances from the Philosophy range - and that’s where the ‘Grace-off’ came in.

Spring shuftie

I learnt a new word this week. ‘Vernal.’

It’s the posh word for spring and I learnt it because it was the Equinox on Tuesday and we officially entered into the realms of a new season.

So, please excuse me while I put my new word to good use and describe the fact that we are: edging past the Equinox into spring; the vernal vestiges visible all around...

Ahhh - both the new word and the new season are very pleasing.

Stealing a 'March' on Mother’s Day

The air has changed. Casting off the cloak it wrapped warily round itself during those abrasive winter months it is now lighter, airier (if air itself can indeed be airier... answers on a postcard please).

A tiptoeing breeze ushers in the soft pastel shades of spring: the dark, dormancy of the frost-clad months replaced with a water-colour wash enlivening the sky and the senses. Can you sense it?

Take a look at my video chat with author Cathy Kelly

If you've read my last blog you'll know that I've been enjoying Cathy Kelly's new book The House On Willow Street. For me the whole experience has been like balm... it's uplifting, it's escapism, it's the ultimate 'me time.'

I was lucky enough to meet Cathy on the Morning Show last week and she was completely gorgeous and completely lovely. If I sound like I'm gushing that's because I am. I managed to grab Cathy for another quick chat, before she whizzed off to promote the book in Australia, so you can see for yourself...

   

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‘Book’ yourself some reading time

I woke up early this morning, to the sanguine squawks of seagulls outside; wheeling recklessly in the wind, heralding the start of the new day.

Soon they were joined by the velvet vocals of the plaintive pigeons; sad, sentimental strains, but with a warmth and candour that resonates with the hope of spring.

Not long afterwards, the trills and tweets of all the smaller birds added their cute chorus - calming and coaxing at the same time.

Elastic hair (boiing, boiing)

Did you know that hair is elastic? I didn’t. I mean, pulling at a few wispy strands emanating from my head now, it doesn’t feel springy, it just feels taut and a little bit hurty when I pull too hard (better stop that now).

But in actual fact your hair (and mine) can stretch up to 30% of its length again. Not only is it the follicular equivalent of a slinky (the ultimate in iconic 80s pointless must-haves) it’s also really, really strong.