Katy Johnston

From GCU student to radio royalty – Katy J’s story hits all the right frequencies

If you’ve never heard of Katy J, you’ve almost certainly heard her voice.

The dynamic radio presenter brings the much-needed energy to your journey home during her drivetime slot on Capital Scotland on weekdays from 4-7pm.

Katy Johnston (Katy J) discovered her love for presenting at Glasgow Caledonian University where she studied for her master’s degree in Multimedia Journalism.

Shortly after graduating in 2019, her career skyrocketed when she was offered her own radio show and was named one of the Radio Academy’s 30 Under 30.

Although she’s now flourishing in her job as a radio presenter, Katy said she wasn’t always sure what direction she wanted her career to go in.

“I chose to study at Glasgow Caledonian University because after a little while figuring it out, I realised that I wanted to pursue my passion and follow a career in journalism and media,” she says.

“The moment I looked up the course, I knew that the postgrad in Multimedia Journalism was the one for me.

“The course was vast, it prepared me not just for what I'm doing right now, but for a whole breadth of other potential avenues I may go down in the future. We did auto-cues, on-camera stuff, print journalism and really everything, and I can do shorthand - who knew!

“I use the skills that I acquired at GCU every day.”

Katy hasn’t been afraid to take on new challenges, both on and off air, throughout her diverse career.

She supported JLS on their Beat Again tour, hosts podcasts for Young Scot, Scotland’s OVO ​Hydro, and Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust and has been published in The Herald and The Big Issue amongst other national titles.

As a proud ambassador for Endometriosis UK, Katy has taken her mission to raise awareness for the condition and ​support the fight against period inequality across the UK, notably to Westminster and ITV.

Although theoretical and practical knowledge are important for a journalist, so are good contacts.

Katy says her time at GCU wasn’t just about what she learned on her course, but also the people she met along the way.

“I’ve made so many incredible contacts and friends and mentors on this course that I now work with every day, whether it's in the newsroom or with my colleagues on the mic chatting about Little Mix - lots of us have walked these halls,” she says.