Memories of my ‘gentle yet firm’ boss

I have two stand-out memories of my late CEO Peter Kerridge. The first is when he called me into his office not long after I had arrived at Premier, just before the pandemic. One of my first tasks had been to attend an event targeting the publishing industry and Peter wanted feedback on what I had learned. I am 5’11 tall, a netball defender and occasional-model so not easily intimidated by height, however his 6’4 frame loomed over me and I found myself frequently being cut off mid-sentence as he tired of my hesitant responses. I was terrified!

My second memory was a couple of years later in the midst of the pandemic and my cancer treatment. I had just joined a Zoom meeting at which Peter was present and I apologised for not having my camera on. I explained that my body was wrecked, and I couldn’t bear looking at how much I had visually deteriorated. Peter immediately spoke up and encouraged me and all the work I was somehow still doing. That was the father in him.

Over the years I came to know Peter as gentle but firm. He had a strong hand on Premier, which could come across as harsh, but he was also incredibly kind and affirming to those he saw to be doing good work and never hesitated to lift people up in front of others. In the time following Peter’s death on 8 June, all Premier’s radio stations were flooded with stories from listeners, colleagues and friends; pointing to the incredible ways he had impacted them. There are so many chapters in the story of Peter’s life and you can read our tribute to him on page 20 and also, on page 3, the story behind why Peter insisted on adding Woman Alive to the Premier portfolio just five years ago.

‘Books’ is the theme for this issue and for many of you, they will be a gateway to other lifestyles, cultures or imaginations. But for us to read, first there have to be people who write. And so, I want to celebrate all writers because to finish and publish a book is no mean feat. My own debut Still Standing – 100 lessons from an ‘unsuccessful’ life (SPCK) covers hard-won lessons on the things life has thrown at me from all sides – Job-style – and the journeys God has taken me on right in the middle of the wilderness periods. And writing, whether you are in the ‘wilderness’ or not, is not always easy. So, if you are someone who is writing, has written or has a dream to write a book, please don’t give up! The world needs your story and perspective and one day you just might be someone’s favourite author.

Love and blessings,

Editor + Creative Director 

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The Woman Alive podcast is available on Premier.plus, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. In each episode I invite two guests to talk about a trending article published at womanalive.co.uk and we attempt to answer your questions on sex and relationships. Please do rate and review the podcast and share with friends who might want to listen too.