Paul Coia

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Paul Coia

Paul Coia (born 19 June 1955, Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and List of largest United Kingdom settlements by population in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's Scottish Lowlands....
) is a Scottish television presenter and continuity announcer who was the first voice on Channel 4

Channel 4

Glasgow

University of Glasgow

The University of Glasgow was founded in 1451, in Glasgow, Scotland, and, along with its contemporary institution, the University of St Andrews, it formed the Kingdom of Scotland's equivalent to Oxbridge....
before going into hospital radio

Hospital radio

Hospital radio is a form of audio broadcasting produced specifically for the in-patients of hospitals. It is primarily found in the United Kingdom....
and eventually getting a job as a disc jockey

Disc jockey

A disc jockey is a person who selects and plays sound recording for an audience. Originally, disk referred to phonograph records, while disc refers to the Compact Disc, and has become the more common spelling....
at Radio Clyde

Radio Clyde

Radio Clyde is a division of Bauer Radio based in Glasgow, Scotland. They currently operate an FM station and an AM station from studios in nearby Clydebank....
.

In the early 1980s he also worked as a continuity announcer for Scottish Television

Scottish Television

Scottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. The studios were located in Glasgow's Theatre Royal on Hope Street for two decades, and later in custom built premises on an adjacent site on Renfield Street in Cowcaddens, Glasgow, but moving to new studios in Pacific Qua...
and when he joined Channel 4

Channel 4

Channel 4 is a UK Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom television broadcaster which began transmissions on 2 November 1982. Although commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the #Channel Four Television...
on its launch, was the first voice heard on air: "Good afternoon.

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Encyclopedia

Paul Coia (born 19 June 1955, Glasgow
Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and List of largest United Kingdom settlements by population in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's Scottish Lowlands....
) is a Scottish television presenter and continuity announcer who was the first voice on Channel 4
Channel 4

Channel 4 is a UK Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom television broadcaster which began transmissions on 2 November 1982. Although commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the #Channel Four Television...
.

Early life and career
Coia was schooled at St Aloysius' College in Glasgow
Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and List of largest United Kingdom settlements by population in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's Scottish Lowlands....
and then at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow

The University of Glasgow was founded in 1451, in Glasgow, Scotland, and, along with its contemporary institution, the University of St Andrews, it formed the Kingdom of Scotland's equivalent to Oxbridge....
before going into hospital radio
Hospital radio

Hospital radio is a form of audio broadcasting produced specifically for the in-patients of hospitals. It is primarily found in the United Kingdom....
and eventually getting a job as a disc jockey
Disc jockey

A disc jockey is a person who selects and plays sound recording for an audience. Originally, disk referred to phonograph records, while disc refers to the Compact Disc, and has become the more common spelling....
at Radio Clyde
Radio Clyde

Radio Clyde is a division of Bauer Radio based in Glasgow, Scotland. They currently operate an FM station and an AM station from studios in nearby Clydebank....
.

In the early 1980s he also worked as a continuity announcer for Scottish Television
Scottish Television

Scottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. The studios were located in Glasgow's Theatre Royal on Hope Street for two decades, and later in custom built premises on an adjacent site on Renfield Street in Cowcaddens, Glasgow, but moving to new studios in Pacific Qua...
and when he joined Channel 4
Channel 4

Channel 4 is a UK Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom television broadcaster which began transmissions on 2 November 1982. Although commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the #Channel Four Television...
on its launch, was the first voice heard on air: "Good afternoon. It's a pleasure to be able to say to you: Welcome to Channel 4!" Subsequently he became a presenter of BBC One
BBC One

BBC One is the primary television channel of the BBC . It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular public television service with a high level of ....
's daytime magazine programme, Pebble Mill at One
Pebble Mill at One

Pebble Mill at One was a popular Great Britain afternoon chat show broadcast originally on BBC2 before transferring to BBC1. It was produced from the Pebble Mill facilities of BBC Birmingham, and uniquely was hosted from the centre's main reception area rather than a traditional studio....
.

In 1988 Coia became the host of the BBC gameshow Catchword
Catchword (game show)

Catchword was a daytime word game show first shown on BBC1 from 17 April 1985 until 2 April 1986, hosted by Gyles Brandreth, and then on its sister channel BBC2 from 5 January 1988 until 23 May 1995, hosted by Paul Coia....
, and has since presented a number of other quizzes on various satellite and cable channels.

He stood in once with his wife, Debbie Greenwood
Debbie Greenwood

Debbie Greenwood is a British television presenter and a former beauty queen. She won the title of Miss Great Britain in 1984. She is also the wife of presenter Paul Coia, with whom she has two daughters, Annalie and Luisa....
, for Gloria Hunniford
Gloria Hunniford

Gloria Hunniford is a TV and radio presenter, and formerly a singer. She is the mother of Caron Keating who died of breast cancer in 2004....
's afternoon chat show on Five. Coia and Greenwood also sat in for Derek
Derek Jameson

Derek Jameson is a British tabloid journalist and broadcaster.He was evacuated from London in WW2. His career began in Fleet Street, as a messenger boy, before becoming managing editor of the Daily Mirror newspaper and editor of the Daily Express, Daily Star and News of the World....
and Ellen Jameson on the late-night show on BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2

BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio radio station and the List of most-listened-to radio programs in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult contemporary music or Album-orientated rock, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres....
, and Coia (broadcasting solo) also deputised for other presenters on that station.

Coia can occasionally be seen on the shopping channel QVC
QVC (UK)

QVC is a digital television station broadcasting in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1993 when QVC, Inc. formed a deal with BSkyB to create a UK version of the channel....
in the UK, where he mainly sells mechanical products.

Coia was a continuity announcer and trail voiceover (all pre-recorded) for the now-defunct digital channel ABC1. He has also been heard on 102.2 Smooth Radio
102.2 Smooth Radio

102.2 Smooth Radio is an Independent Local Radio station for the Greater London area, which replaced 102.2 Smooth FM on 26 March 2007, launched by Gavin McCoy and Barbra Streisand's A Star Is Born....
since February 2008. Paul took over the Drivetime show in December 2008 after Martin Collins
Martin Collins

Martin Collins is a United Kingdom radio presenter, who works for 102.2 Smooth Radio.Martin started broadcasting as soon as he left college. His broadcasting career began at Chiltern FM....
left the station

Personal life
Coia now lives in London, England and has two children, Annalie, 14 and Luisa,11.

External links