Olly Smith

Wine broadcaster, author, columnist

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From Pingu to Pingus… how did that happen?!

I loved being a screenwriter – from Charlie and Lola to Wallace and Gromit, writing animation was my speciality. Pingu was a particular hoot; I worked on more than three series and there’s a script on my website (ollysmith.com) to show how my job took shape. But I’d previously worked for Orange & Co vintners in Jersey, where I grew up, and I couldn’t shake my enthusiasm for wine. In 2004, my screenwriter friend Mark Huckerby encouraged me to enter Wine Idol, a competition sponsored by Australian brand Hardys in search of a new wine communicator. I was delighted to win, and part of the prize was an audition to appear on the TV show Good Food Live for one episode. I got through the audition, appeared on the show and a second booking built gradually into more regular appearances. After stints on Food Uncut and