BBC Escape to the Country star Ginny Buckley says 'couldn't handle it' as she shares rare update on son
Escape to the Country star Ginny Buckley has spoken about her struggles at school as she revealed her son is starting his mock GCSEs. Ginny, who joined the hit BBC show in 2015, admitted she 'couldn't handle exams' and failed most of them before deciding not to go to university.
The 56-year-old spoke out in a bid to encourage teens who are struggling to not 'let exams crush your spirit or your individuality' in a lengthy statement on Instagram. She wrote: "My son, along with many other children, is starting his mock GCSE exams today. I want to remind anyone preparing for your exams that who you are and what you will do in life is about so much more than what you write on your exam paper.
"I couldn’t handle exams; I failed most of them. I struggled to get some low-grade A-levels, and I didn’t go to university. I vividly remember the anxiety I experienced when faced with an exam paper. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t bright, just that I couldn’t cope with the way our intelligence is judged.
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"As you go into your exams, don’t forget that a questioning nature, the ability to look someone in the eye and hold a conversation, make people laugh, be a good friend, show kindness and empathy to others, perform on a stage, play a musical instrument, score a great goal, be a good listener, fix something, or create art are all brilliant skills that will take you far in life.
"You are not all the same, and exams don’t reflect that. Do you best, but celebrate your other talents, and don’t let exams crush your spirit or your individuality."
Ginny started her career early, presenting a children's radio programme from the age of 12 for BBC local radio in Manchester. At the age of 18, she moved to Australia and worked for several years in commercial radio.
She went on to become a reporter for the children's television program C'mon Kids before returning to the UK in 1991 and presenting the BBC TV Children's game show The Wetter The Better with Ross King.
She later became a reporter for Granada Tonight and has since hosted many shows including BBC show Holiday, Watchdog and the Crimewatch Roadshow.