Lucy Deady – creating costumes for Strictly Come Dancing
S
INCE GRADUATING IN Costume Design and
Construction in 2014, Lucy Deady has moved to London
to work on some of the UK’s most popular TV shows.
She started as a dresser for the knockout round of ‘The Voice’
on BBC and then went on to work on The Voice live shows. That
allowed her to further develop her ability to work under pressure
and to operate as part of a team.
A chance meeting with Vicky Gill saw Lucy secure her next
role with the BBC’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’. Her position with
Dance Sport International, which makes the costumes for Strictly,
now also involves her in creating dance costumes for worldwide
competitive ballroom and Latin events, as well as for theatre,
cruises and tours. In effect, she was juggling two roles at the
same time – Dresser at Strictly Come Dancing and Design and
Production Assistant at Dance Sport International.
Discussing her time with Strictly, Lucy explained: “During the
week I assisted where I could in production. I usually helped
K
Kay
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BBC
AY CREWDSON GRADUATED from QMU in 2005 with
a BA (Hons) Arts and Theatre Studies (First Class).
Kay has gone on to have a very successful career with
the BBC, working in Northern Ireland, Manchester, London,
Leeds, Nottingham and in North Yorkshire. After graduating
from the BBC’s journalism trainee scheme and working as a
producer on numerous programmes, Kay then retrained as a
broadcast meteorologist, presenting the weather across the
North of England and the Midlands.
Alongside her weather commitments Kay carried on her love
of radio by freelancing as a radio presenter for a number of
local BBC radio stations. In 2014, she launched a treasure hunt
style programme, Finders Keepers, for BBC Radio York; which
became one of the most successful programmes on the station.
30
QMYOU / Where Are You Now?
with cutting on a Monday and Tuesday as the designs for Strictly
came in for that week. Later in the week, I would be involved with
decorating the dresses with lace and fringe etc. Sometimes I’d
shop for fabric. Fortunately, my week was quite varied, which I
really enjoyed.”
Lucy’s big break with Strictly Coming Dancing meant she’s had
the opportunity to work with a variety of celebrities. She said:
“From the start of the series, I was allocated the celebrity girls to
dress, so I did spend time with them all each week. My favourite
costume that I worked on was Claudia’s hot pink paso doble
outfit. I really enjoyed making the black lace collar and cuffs.”
When asked what her favourite dance of the show was, she said
“It changed each week but I did love Danny and Oti’s samba”.
Lucy’s future looks secure with Dance Sport International. She
is now working on designs for Austrian ‘Dancing with the Stars’
and upcoming Latin and ballroom competitions. Of course, she
is looking forward to Strictly Come Dancing 2017! ❒
Hanging her weather hat up for a time, Kay has just taken
over BBC Radio York’s Breakfast Show. She’s on air Monday
to Friday 6am – 9am.
From co-directing ‘The Good Woman of Szechuan’ to judging
Edinburgh’s Got Talent, and making life-long friendships along
the way, Kay has many fond memories from QMU.
After university, Kay went back to Manchester and started
working in TV as a runner for commercials. At the same time
she started volunteering in various radio stations, from hospital
radio to local development radio stations. For a few years she
combined these roles with running a TV studio and acting,
and had roles in various adverts and some small parts in TV
programmes, but her main drive was presenting.
After a few years Kay got her break on the BBC Journalism
Trainee Scheme. She moved to Belfast to craft her journalism
skills, and went on to working on BBC Newsround, School
Report and BBC Learning. A conversation with her boss resulted
in a move to weather… and six years later she finally got her
dream job; breakfast presenter on BBC Radio York!
Outside of work Kay volunteers at a local children’s hospice,
Martin House, and is known for doing extraordinary challenges
for charities. In 2015 she did a wing walk for another children’s
hospice and trekked through the jungle in Borneo in 2016 before
climbing Mount Kinabalu for Macmillan Nurses. ❒