| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 17/04/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 90 |
| Copyright: Other |
PR supremo turns on the style to prove he’s the new Graham Norton
THOMSON’s communications supremo Russell Amerasekera would make a great TV show host after he leaves the company this summer, Backchat can exclusively reveal.After giving us a stunning display of his talents at the launch of Thomson’s Web site thefirstresort.com, we can say with confidence that Russell would be an ideal candidate to take over shows such as Blind Date, Kilroy or So Graham Norton if their presenters ever call it a day.
The speakers at the launch – Thomson development director John Wells and thefirstresort.com’s Matthew Prior and Gillian Wylie – were introduced by Russell as ‘glamourous’, ‘very, very bright indeed’ and ‘about to get married, so off the list I’m afraid, girls.”
The trio were then forced to perch precariously on a row of extremely high stools while Russell frantically scoured the audience for questioners, pursued by an assistant entrusted with the task of carrying his microphone.
“This is either going to be brilliant, or it’s going to go very, very wrong,” he then told us, as a surprise firework display kicked off to the accompaniment of the 1812 Overture.
“Right, that’s our entire Internet budget blown then,” he said, as the finale of dazzling lights and thunderous chords died away.
Since Thomson has put £100m behind the bar – or so to speak – to get its new media strategy off the ground, we hope he’s got his figures wrong. Good luck in your new career, Russell.