BROADCASTER Harry Gration will take to the stage at next week’s Examiner Business Awards.

It will be Harry’s fourth appearance as compere of the annual event.

The veteran broadcaster and presenter of BBC TV’s Look North hosted the first Examiner Business Awards in 2006 and has been ever-present since then.

A familiar face for Huddersfield audiences, he has previously compered other major events in the town, including the Examiner Literary Lunch and The Proms in the Park.

The Examiner Business Awards will be held on Thursday November 12 at the Galpharm Stadium, when winners in 11 categories will step forward to collect their trophies and the plaudits of a capacity audience.

Journalist and broadcaster Declan Curry will be the guest speaker for the awards, which are sponsored once again by law firm Chadwick Lawrence.

Harry, who has also fronted BBC North’s rugby league show, began working as a history teacher before taking a career path into broadcasting.

He spent school holidays helping out on match reports for Radio Leeds and Radio Humberside before taking the gamble of giving up teaching for a three-month contract as Radio Leeds sports editor.

He never looked back – going on to report and commentate for the BBC at major sporting events, including the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, before breaking from television to become public affairs executive for the Rugby League.

He returned to broadcasting a year later and is in demand to make personal appearances at events across the Look North region.

Harry has won two Royal Television Society Awards for his sports documentaries, White Rose in Africa and Dickie Bird – A Rare Species.

The 2009 Examiner Business Awards is firmly established as the highlight of the local business calendar.

More than 300 people will attend the awards ceremony at the stadium – when award nominees and winners will rub shoulders with leading figures from the local business community.

A spokeswoman for the event organisers said: “The evening is a chance to celebrate success.

“It is also a great networking opportunity – a chance to meet the people behind the best businesses in Huddersfield.”

A handful of tickets are still available for the awards ceremony and dinner. Contact the events team on 01484 437702.