Rav Wilding grew up in Sittingbourne and first appeared on TV in Eden, a Channel 4 reality TV show, back in 2002. Seven years later, he’s a successful presenter for the BBC and a pin-up – but he hasn’t forgotten his roots. He spoke exclusively to chief reporter Nicola Forman.

Former Fulston Manor pupil Rav Wilding, then known as Rav Coothoopermal , first reached the public eye on Channel 4’s Eden show, in which contestants spent 13 weeks in the Australian outback, back in 2002.
Now he can be seen every day on BBC One’s Missing Live, as well as regularly on Crimewatch.
But the former Metropolitan Police officer said it wasn’t presenting he was originally particularly interested in.
He said: “At school, I’d always wanted to be a cameraman or stunt man. I ended up doing neither of them.
“Crimewatch was looking for police to present their 20th anniversary show.
“My colleagues in the police force thought I’d be perfect for it and threatened to apply on my behalf. I applied myself and they called me back. I had to do loads of auditions and presented my first show five years ago.”
Rav, who lived with his family in Romney Court, Sittingbourne, joined the Army aged 17 but, after breaking his leg, left after four years.
He worked at Harrods in Knightsbridge as part of the security team, and then joined the Met in 2000.
He was posted to Peckham in south London and worked on the high-profile police investigation surrounding the death of Damilola Taylor.
He also worked in CID and was a regular at the Old Bailey.
Two years later he appeared on Eden and his television career went from there. But, as he explains, he had to choose between the force and his presenting career.

For the full interview, see this week's Sittingbourne Messenger.