COMING into contact with big name celebrities is all in a day’s work for Belleek man, Niall Flanagan.
Currently working as a senior producer on ITV daytime programme, Lorraine, the former St Mary’s High School, Brollagh student has carved out a career for himself that most of us could only ever dream about.
The son of Brian and Carmel, Niall packed his bags and headed for London at the age of 21, only envisaging to stay there for less than a year.
But over a decade since that move, he can boast a CV that includes work for BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky One.
In more recent years he has secured a position at ITV Daytime which is responsible for Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women – four of British television’s most talked about shows. 
Coming up to the busiest time of the year in television Niall says the TV industry is working harder than ever to deliver television to rival this rise of video streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon.
“It is a daily concern for us,” he says, “TV audiences are diminishing. It is so different to when I was younger and all you had was four channels to choose from.
“People are spoiled for choice now and that is the problem.
“But working in ITV I have found that rather than focusing on a negative, we look at ways of making the best TV that we can, and if we do that then people will watch it.
“We have established that people still love the TV that is being made, they just don’t like our scheduling. So they will watch it at a time that suits them. Competition isn’t a bad thing. The likes of Netflix makes everyone up their game.”
Explaining that there is no such thing as an “average day” in the world of live TV, Niall says he relishes the challenge of planning for every eventuality and having to adapt to various situations.
“We were supposed to have Michael Parkinson on the show yesterday. But at 8.55am we got a call to find out that he was stuck in traffic and he wasn’t going to make the studio in time.
“Something similar happened a few weeks ago with Strictly contestant, Mollie King. 
“She was supposed to be on and we got a call to say she had slept in and her driver was outside her house looking to get in!
“She eventually made the show but Lorraine had to speak to Michael on the phone. 
“At the age of 84 he said it was the first time in his career that he had never made a TV interview!”
Growing up in Fermanagh Niall recalls always having a passion for TV.
“Some kids really like maths or sport, but for me, from a very young age I was really interested in TV and radio.
“I watched the Kelly Show, the Late Late Show, Patrick Kielty’s ‘PK Tonight’ and Terry Wogan. A lot of live TV.”
And when he took Media Studies as one of his GCSEs, his family were more than supportive.
But it was when he attended the Edinburgh International Television Festival, after discovering a leaflet about it at St Mary’s, that his passion for the TV industry was truly set in stone.
“TV people descend on Edinburgh that weekend,” he explains, “It was called TVYP back then but it is now called The Network. I spoke with people who were drama writers, presenters, working in comedy, live TV, and I realised from speaking to all of them that they were all really passionate about what they did, they loved their jobs.
“From that point on my heart was set on a career in the TV industry.”
Armed with the advice to secure as much work experience as possible, Niall spent the next three years doing just that.
“My course in Ulster University didn’t require me to do work experience but I took every opportunity I could get and my tutor allowed me to take the time off the course,” he recalls, “I found that the majority of people in TV are very happy to do whatever they can to help the next generation get their foot in the door.”
At 21, London was calling for Niall, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
“My family were great. I’m sure my parents were worried for me but they never once tried to make me change my mind. They knew that it was an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down. Without a shadow of a doubt, that was my big break.”
Describing himself as an eternal optimist, Niall struggles to find a down side to his career.
“It is such a creative industry and a collaborative industry,” he says, “I work with a great team of people.
“It is great to be a part of a programme that plays such a big part in people’s lives.
“I get up every morning and look forward to my work. Not everyone can say that so I am very thankful.”
Coming into contact with celebrities on a daily basis, Niall says “99.9 per cent” of the people he has met have been “absolutely lovely”.
“Lorraine herself is a genuinely lovely lady. She is as personable off screen as she is on. I have been working on the show for two years and I have learned a lot from her. She is a real class act.
“I have met hundreds of celebrities but the nature of the job means that your conversation with them amounts to: ‘Thank you for coming on the show, here is what Lorraine is going to ask you about, lovely to meet you’.
“The people who have a connection with Ireland are the people I have really enjoyed meeting because they want to find out more about you and whether they know someone connected with you!
“The likes of Terry Wogan, Eamonn Holmes and Christine Lampard are the people that I have instantly had that connection with.”
Praising the support of his former high school, Niall says he believes there are plenty of opportunities for young people from Fermanagh to follow in his footsteps.
“What is interesting is how this industry has changed in recent years,” he says, “If you are a young person with an interest in TV now, you have the technology at your finger tips to get yourself started. Take your phone out and make something yourself and post it on YouTube.
“Do as much practical work as you can, get that experience and meet people -- get your name out there.
“There is no such thing as too many opportunities.”