Laura Hamilton, best known as the presenter of ITV’s A Place in the Sun, has enjoyed a diverse and dynamic career in television. Beyond her popular property show, she has appeared on Dancing on Ice, The Jump, and in various pantomimes. Her early days, however, involved working behind the scenes and even zipping around backstage at major events.
In a candid conversation on Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Spinning Plates podcast, Laura revealed one standout memory from her time transporting artists in a golf cart at high-profile events like BBC Radio 2’s Party in the Park. “I used to take all the artists to the stage, on my little buggy, driving around Hyde Park,” she shared.
The most unforgettable moment came during her role at the Buckingham Palace Jubilee Celebrations when Prince Philip himself gave her a stern but brief warning. Laura recalled, “He came up to me on his horse and said, ‘Young lady, you need to slow down’.”
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Rejecting university offers after high school, Laura plunged into television, initially working as a runner for Dermot O’Leary at Channel 4. From there, she gained extensive experience as an Assistant Floor Manager on shows like Top of the Pops, The Games, T4, Party in the Park, Robbie Williams’s Knebworth concert, Big Brother, and, notably, the Jubilee events at Buckingham Palace.
Her commitment was clear as she described the pressures of her role: “I used to get all the artists to the stage on time,” she said with pride.
Progressing from floor manager to Assistant Director, Laura contributed to TV dramas such as Family Affairs and The Bill, as well as major films including Harry Potter and Stardust. Over the years, she has worked with prominent broadcasters and networks like ITV, Channel 5, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, and Disney XD.
Before stepping in front of the camera, she spent four years honing her skills behind the scenes. Her on-screen debut included playing ‘Melody’ in the popular CiTV series Fun Song Factory.
Since 2012, Laura has been a familiar presence on A Place in the Sun. In a recent chat with Sue Perkins, she expressed satisfaction with her current career. “I don’t think it’s a case of, I need to do something else for me to be happy. I am happy as I am,” she stated.
Laura also reflected on the societal expectations around career progression, saying, “Sometimes people say to me, ‘What’s next for you, Laura? Where do you want to go after A Place in the Sun?’ And I’m like, ‘Why does there have to be something more after that?’ Why can’t I just carry on doing what I’m doing, enjoy it, add things as they happen, and live life being grateful for what I’ve got? Because I am.”