MIKE Howarth used to pretend to run radio stations in his bedroom.
Now he's landed a dream job with British Forces Broadcasting Service, presenting programmes to service personnel based around the world.
Mike, 22, was born in Huddersfield and went to Lindley CofE Junior and Infant School.
He later moved to Pontefract and, after school, went on to study media production at Sunderland University.
While studying for a BA degree in television and radio, he produced and presented the breakfast show on student station Utopia FM.
It involved him having his face on the back of Sunderland buses to advertise the show.
After university, Mike won a presenter competition on Galaxy radio in Newcastle and ended up staying with them.
He produced the Friday night show before moving on to the breakfast show.
He then landed his new role with the British Forces Broadcasting Service.
Mike's first posting is in Cyprus and he looks likely to be spending Christmas on detachment in Canada.
He could then go on to one of many radio stations around the world - such as Belize, Bosnia, Brunei, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, Germany, Gibraltar or Iraq.
Mike said: "I'm really excited about joining BFBS.
"It already feels like home as everyone has been so friendly and helpful, even the fellow presenter who told me about the crab spiders in Iraq that poison their victims and then come back to eat the flesh.
"I'm glad I'm being posted to Cyprus first."
