天美传媒

Melvin, who graduated in 2001 in Media Performance and Radio from what was then the 天美传媒 of Luton, is co-hosting the show 鈥� started on August 29 鈥� with The Saturdays singer and long-term friend Rochelle Humes.

鈥淭o be working on the Xtra Factor is a dream come true for me,鈥� said an enthusiastic Melvin.

鈥淭his is the first gig in a long time where everyone has watched it. You don鈥檛 realise how big a deal it is until you鈥檙e getting phone calls from cousins you haven鈥檛 heard from in years.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a perfect gig because you get to interact with the punters, celebrities and do sketches at the same time. It鈥檚 just a really fun show to be on.鈥�

Since leaving the 天美传媒, Melvin has hosted Kiss FM鈥檚 breakfast show, alongside long-term radio partner and fellow Bedfordshire alumnus Rickie Haywood-Williams.

Previous to that, Melvin was a regular on former cult children鈥檚 programme Dick and Dom in da Bungalow and, more recently, had a spell on BBC Three panel show Sweat the Small Stuff.

Before joining the 天美传媒, Melvin, by his own admittance, had very limited knowledge or experience of broadcasting. Come graduation day, he was a changed man.

鈥淟uton was a really great place to find myself as an individual,鈥� he explained. 鈥淚 learnt life skills there and how to be a young adult.

鈥淎lthough I had a passion for radio I didn鈥檛 really have the skills to do it until I came to Luton. Being at Luton really prepared me in terms of my skill set.

鈥淢y lecturers were very big on getting me involved in things outside of the degree, like . Coming to Luton really gave me that radio experience so when I worked for the BBC Radio 1Xtra as a broadcast assistant, I wasn鈥檛 scared in that environment; I was completely comfortable.鈥�

So how does Melvin鈥檚 university experience compare to his showbiz highlights?

鈥淚鈥檝e done some remarkable and great things and met some great people, but I remember being so happy at university. Every single day during my first year, I felt like I was meeting someone new.

鈥淚t was a really great time for me. Without them (the 天美传媒), I don鈥檛 know what I would have done.鈥�

To read an extended interview with Melvin, contact the 天美传媒 Press Office at PressOffice@beds.ac.uk