Q&A with past pupil Jordan Dunbar

Name: Jordan Dunbar

Current location: London

Occupation: BBC Broadcaster and comedian

1.What years did you attend Sullivan?

1998-2005

2.What were you like as a pupil?

One way to describe me would be ‘creative’ and another would be overly talkative. I was endlessly curious about the world. Storyteller and party planner, really wish I’d actually done some work.

3.How would your teachers describe you?

‘Jordan never stops talking. Looks a bit like Jim Carrey’

4. Who was your favourite teacher?

Miss Baker was my English teacher 1st–5th form, she encouraged me to write and perform. I was a one man vocal machine every time we had to read from novels, I’d give each character accents from around the world! Each lesson was like a stand up set for me, I loved it. I remember being excited to go to class and knowing we would have a good time no matter how dry the Shakespeare text was. We even had showings of the videos I was making including the infamous Backstreet Boys lip sync parody. That killed any chance of a love life I had. Thanks to her I started making films, writing fiction and doing comedy.

5. What were your favourite and least favourite subjects?

English- getting to perform with your mates, non-stop comedy, creativity and chaos, they even gave you a GCSE at the end. The politics society gave me my first taste of journalism as we grilled Secretary of States, former paramilitaries and politicians all above the Silver Robin. I once rang up the American consulate and demanded the Ambassador came to speak to us about US-British relations. Never heard back. The politicians all thought the posh kids would be a push over, they were wrong!  It was like 30 Paxman juniors in a canteen, total blood bath!

6. What is your best memory of Sullivan?

Sitting on a summer’s day at the back cricket pitches, listening to Cool FM, discussing weekend plans and feeling like we could conquer the world.

7. Who were your best friends at school?

Still my best friends to this day – James Fraser, Daniel Burke, Neil Matthews and for female balance Annika Chapman and Debbie Hamilton

8. Who would your ideal dinner party guests be? (5 dead or alive)

If they were free – Robin Williams, Hunter S Thompson, George Best, Sheryl Sandberg and Marie Curie. Not on a school night, could get rowdy.

9.What did you want to be when you were younger?

A comedy writer and performer

10.What advice would you give to your younger self?

There’s no rush. Take advantage of the opportunities you have right now and worry about the big stuff after. ‘If it’s fae ye it’ll no go agin ye’ as my Granny would say.

11. What is your proudest achievement?

I think probably making my debut on air at BBC Radio1 when I got my first job in London. I had dreamed about working in the BBC HQ but never really thought I could do it. Hearing my voice on air was surreal and also satisfying. All the Junior Drama, creative writing, politics and even film making I did with mates at Sullivan had been worth it.

12. What would be a good theme song for your life?

Everybodys free to wear sunscreen – Baz Luhrman (played as the last song at our leaving formal by me DJ ‘The Decks’ Dunbar)

13. What are the best and worst purchases you’ve ever made?

While in lower sixth I bought a £200 disco light to try and level up our house parties. Turned out a semi-detached in Belmont is still a semi-detached in Belmont even with disco lights.

Best purchase was a DV camcorder back when I was in fifth year, I learned to shoot and edit, write scripts and produce short films. I had the joy of making terrible films with my friends and learn skills that would lead to a career.

13. Tell us something that not many people know about you?

I worked as a children’s TV presenter in southern Italy for a short time. It was as bad as you’d imagine.

14. What is your philosophy on life?

I am a journalist who suffers from optimism, so I refuse to allow negativity to drown out hope. It’s easy to tell the scary story but more worthwhile to find the one with a happy ending, being Northern Irish you know there is laughter even in the darkest of times.

The Young Jordan/Jim Carrey at school