Gareth Fullerton: ‘I believe we give our audience a voice that accurately represents them.’
The Belfast Live Sport reporter and podcast host on his 2021 mood - quote: a “hopeful gurn!”, still playing computer games at 43 and that one time he quit his job after only one day.
What would your superpower be?
Being able to homeschool. Has to be up there with invisibility and flying.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I always ran around pretending to be a footballer or motorbike rider when I was a kid, albeit I was riding a Raleigh Budgie at the time. But I was always too chubby (polite way of saying fat) to be a professional sportsperson. Or fit into a pair of leathers.
Social media platform of choice?
Probably Instagram. It's more of people sharing snapshots of their lives, rather than trying to be virologists or experts in some other field.
Currently reading or listening to (podcast)?
I regularly listen to the 'That's What I Call Football' podcast on Belfast Live. Absolutely brilliant. I am currently reading The Chimp Paradox, which gives you an insight into where my head is at these days.
Name the film you’d watch again tonight?
'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.' I actually watched it recently for about the 100th time. Brilliant.
Someone you might be starstruck to meet?
In sport, someone like Mike Tyson or Ronaldo (the Brazilian one). In music someone like Noel Gallagher. I used to love Oasis and even bought an Epiphone Riviera guitar, the same kind Noel played during that whole Britpop era. Our musical careers went down different paths. He fills stadiums and I murder ‘Live Forever’ in my kitchen.
Hidden talent?
My wife and kids would say sleeping. But I tend not to hide that. I can play the guitar a wee bit, so I'll go for that.
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Playing Warzone online with my mates. I'm 43 and playing computer games. I even have a headset and all that. To be fair it's the only interaction I get with other adults during lockdown.
Biggest life lesson to date?
Probably learning from your mistakes. It is the only way you will progress and improve.
2021 mood:
Grumpy, but optimistic. A hopeful gurn.
Repost your last tweet:
If you could go back in time, where would you go?
1920s Paris so I could go drinking with Ryan Smith and all the famous writers who lived there and hear about the book Ryan was never actually going to write. (For the background to this answer, click here).
What is the worst job you’ve done?
I once spent two days stacking boxes of frozen turkeys during the Christmas holidays, which was fun. I also worked for a soft drinks company in Ballymena stapling cardboard boxes together. I gave that one up after a day. My leaving present was a crate of warm cola.
Most overused word or phrase
Probably 'I hate homeschooling'. Another one I hear a lot from people these days is 'non-negotiable'. I used it recently myself.
Describe your 2020 using emoji only: 🤞
To the audience: You should make Belfast Live a part of your day because...it's the go-to place for all your news, sport, what's on and everything else - and we enjoy a bit of craic, which everyone needs right now. I believe we give our audience a voice that accurately represents them.
