Miranda has been described as the “highest profile wreck diver in the UK” - after her presenting work on Channel Four's hit series “Wreck Detectives” in 2003. This 8 part series investigated different wrecks around the UK coast from the medieval to World War II – even taking veterans back to the site of where their ships sank during that war. The series was a resounding success combining archaeology above and beneath the waves and a second series was filmed the following year – venturing deeper and further – culminating in a 60 metre wreck of a U-boat which had only just been discovered – not lying where the official maps said she was! Click here to find out more about the Wreck Detectives series and watch all the episodes.
Miranda was born 1973 in Buckinghamshire, England and is a television presenter specialising in Natural History and Archaeological program. She became a qualified diver which led to presenting programmes with an underwater element and it is this, coupled with her extensive presenting experience that has led to her becoming one of the UK Faces of the new Underwater Channel! (UWC).
Miranda was at school in Reading before taking up a place at the University of Bristol to study Zoology. Whilst at Bristol she became interested in the filming of wildlife and the environment and was able to gain valuable work experience at the BBC's renowned Natural History unit spending three months looking after frogs and toads! After graduating she worked her way up in the BBC as a researcher but then turned her hand to presenting after a lucky break courtesy of Fox Television in World Gone Wild in 1999.
She then worked on a children's marine biology series called “Water Warriors” which won an award from the Royal Television Society. After two summer's filming Wreck Detectives she continued down the archaeology route with a BBC2 series “Hidden Treasure” in conjunction with a major exhibition at the British Museum of treasure items found in the UK. This was followed in 2004 by the UKTV History/Anglia Television production “Time Trail”. This program focused on local history in the UK’s East Anglian region and led to another series for BBC2 and the Open University called “History Mysteries” also following local history and legend, but this time UK-wide.
Over the past few years, Miranda’s career has continued to flourish and she became part of a five presenter team for the highly successful and acclaimed BBC2 series titled “COAST”. Airing first in 2005 the fourth series is due out this summer. Filming for series 5 has already started in earnest with trips also planned aboard to film in Denmark and Brittany.
Miranda has also made guest appearances on BBC1 Countryfile program with John Craven and presented pieces on Alan Titchmarch’s landmark series for the BBC called “The Nature of Britain”. Last summer she filmed a series about the wildlife in and around the River Thames in England and she is also a presenter on the popular BBC1 prime time show “The One Show”.
Apart from her inspiring television work, Miranda has presented the Breakfast program on BBC Radio 3, written articles for Diver, Sport Diver and DIVE magazines and published her first book called An Eyewitness Guide to Scuba Diving which was published last year. Her second book, a guide to British Beaches is due out in May 2009.
Miranda first learned to dive with the BSAC branch at Bristol University, where she studied zoology and the majority of her diving has been done in the cold and murky waters of the British Isles. She states one of her most unforgettable and ‘magical’ experiences in the water as swimming with basking sharks off the coast of the Isle of Man, although she would still love to dive with the largest of all fish, the whale shark! Another of Miranda’s goals is to dive the Cenotes cave system in Mexico, which would be a real challenge for her.
The only thing Miranda dislikes about her presenting job underwater is being unable to explore the coral reefs or wrecks where she’s filming. She explains ‘I hate having to be still when filming underwater. For me - diving is about exploring and so often I dive an incredible site - whether it be a reef or a shipwreck, and I have to sit still and talk about one artefact or critter for ages instead of seeking out what else there might be on offer’.
In her spare time, (of which she has little!) Miranda plays the flute with an orchestra: the New Bristol Sinfonia based in her home town of Bristol. Here she lives and cares for her daughter, son and husband and their 9 chickens.
Miranda is also a passionate marine conservationist and will be reporting for The Underwater Channel on the most critical and crucial aspects of the work of particular marine and wildlife charities.
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