One Show presenter Alex Jones has said she was "too scared" as a young girl in south Wales to admit she wanted a career in television, believing it was not something achievable for someone from her background. The BBC Wales star, now 49, shared the reflection as the flagship magazine show marks its 20th anniversary this month, highlighting how far she has come from Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, to hosting one of the corporation's best-known programmes since 2010.

Jones recalled being fired from two television jobs after leaving university before finally getting her break aged 21, having failed to make it as a TV researcher but impressing in an audition for BBC Choice, which led to presenting roles on S4C. She said presenting from Windsor Castle prompted her to think back to "that little girl" who never believed such a job was possible. To mark the anniversary, she and co-host Roman Kemp will front a week of special coverage revisiting memorable stories, with contributions from across Wales, Scotland, England and Northern Ireland, as Jones credited the show's enduring popularity to its broad "variety" of content.