Alex Jones says she was "too scared" as a young girl to admit she wanted to work in television, and that growing up in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, she never believed such a career would be possible. The broadcaster, 49, said she thought no one from south Wales became broadcasters, especially not on national television.
"When I was a little girl growing up in south Wales, I thought I'd like to be a presenter but I was too scared to say anything because nobody in south Wales became broadcasters, especially not on national television," she remembered.
Jones, who has been hosting the BBC's flagship magazine show since 2010, got fired from two television jobs after university before getting her first break aged 21. She later recalled a day presenting from Windsor Castle as a moment when she thought about what she had achieved.
"I really thought about that little girl that day and thought 'I can't believe that this is what I do for a job'."
She didn't make it as a TV researcher, but impressed in an audition for the BBC's first digital channel, BBC Choice, and went on to present for the Welsh language channel S4C.
The One Show celebrates 20 years on air this month with a week of special programmes. Alex and co-host Roman Kemp will lead coverage in the studio while there will also be segments from across Wales, Scotland, England and Northern Ireland as some of the show's memorable stories are revisited.
Jones says variety is the key to the One Show's appeal
Jones believes the show has continued to be a success because of its "variety".
She said: "It's nice for the audience to switch on at 7pm and see these guests from the latest blockbusters side by side with a beautiful nature VT or the 500 Words writing competition.
"Its appeal is wide because of the variety and the content. It's content-rich and a show that's crafted so carefully.
"I think it'll always have a place because it's a really solid place to start the evening."
The programme's anniversary week will include studio coverage with Jones and Roman Kemp, alongside regional segments from Wales, Scotland, England and Northern Ireland revisiting memorable stories from the show.
Jones said the mix of guests, nature films and the 500 Words writing competition helps the programme reach a broad audience, and that the careful way it is made is central to its success.
She added that the show would always have a place because it is "a really solid place to start the evening".
