Talisha Johnson

A doer not a dreamer, the Great Barr star is a hard-working girl who makes a difference. With a list of talents, achievements and awards as long as your arm, she’s just getting started

Talisha Johnson, or Tee Cee as she’s also known, is not the sort of person to fly under the radar. Aged only 22 she’s already successfully published a children’s book as well as founding and editing teen magazine Skool Girl Online that connects with thousands of youngsters. Talisha’s worked in radio, studied radio, interned, graduated from the Peter Jones Academy and most recently moved to Manchester to work as a runner at the BBC where she made such an extraordinary impact that after just four months she was thrust in front of the camera. When she moved up North, Talisha was in it for long haul knowing it could take years to get anywhere in the competitive world of TV. She explained: “It was daunting – I knew no one, but I viewed the experience as a really big adventure.” Tee Cee has just made her debut on CBBC as a guest vlogger on ‘Whoops I missed the Bus’ and is also bouncing onto the screen in Hacker and Dodge spin off Hacker Time. We watched and found her enthusiasm infectious. She’s bright and bubbly with a distinctive style and a strong Brummie twang that’s pleasing.

BLACK HISTORY HERO

Talisha’s won many awards along the way and has been hailed a Black History Hero by the Priory School in Edgbaston which she’s delighted, but a bit stunned about. She said: “I’m no Martin Luther King or Rosa Parks, but it is lovely! I’m honoured. I read to the pupils at the school and it’s nice to have made an impact.” Encouraged by her parents to keep a journal from the age of five, Talisha has been writing ever since. Aged 11 and inspired by writers like Jacqueline Wilson and Benjamin Zephaniah she announced she’d like to set about writing a children’s book. Talisha looked through her school English books taking the stories she’d already written and extending and improving them until they were ready to approach a publisher with. The first publisher she saw snapped it up and at 16 she was a fully-fledged published author of a book of short stories called Snow Black, the Seven Rastas and Other Short Stories. Talisha interned at various magazines including Heat and Closer which we all know is fairly pitiful financially, but can be a great stepping stone. A job as editorial assistant at Scene Birmingham magazine followed. Talisha carried on editing Skool Girl Online and was applauded for her response to US commentator Steve’s Emerson’s remark that “parts of Birmingham are no-go zones for non-Muslims”. Talisha hit back by championing her home town in the form of the Young Brum Power List in 2015 which featured 16 influential, talented and successful Birmingham youngsters. Talisha manages to juggle Skool Girl Online with her full time job at CBBC by working on it in the evening. “I love the magazine. The emails I get suggest it’s helping people and connecting.”

AND THERE’S MORE

While Talisha’s thrilled to be appearing on CBBC, she’s already thinking about a permanent spot on CBBC presentation – the link between the programmes – and she’s not stopping there! Ultimately, her goals are much grander. She said: “I’d like my own talk show, perhaps like Oprah. She’s a phenomenal person. The Oprah of Birmingham! That would be fantastic.” Watch this space people because you wouldn’t bet against her.

TEE CEE’S CV OF ACCOLADES (the shortened version!)

  • Received Aspire Award – West Midlands Women of the Year Awards 2015
  • Shortlisted for Young Entrepreneur of the Year – Ebony Black Business Awards 2014
  • Nominated Young Social Entrepreneur Award – UnLtd Lived It Awards, 2014
  • Appointed Birmingham Social Media Reporter for Global Entrepreneurship Week, 2013
  • Local Youth Hero Award – Association of Jamaica National Annual Gala and Awards, 2013
  • Received a Diana Award – Envision Truth About Youth Awards, 2011