Storytellers. There has never been a time in history when they weren’t at the forefront of popular consciousness. The good ones clue you in on the pulse of the moment; the best ones draw you into its essence and secure your investment in it. At 33, the London-born, Singapore-flourishing Ed Russell is a paragon in that regard. With the airwaves as his canvas, he is poised to bring us some transfixing and tantalising tidings.
Let’s look onward. Ed, what are you looking forward to the most about 2023, personally and professionally?
Well, firstly, I can’t believe that 2023 will already mark the second year of my show on Class 95 (where has the time gone?!) and I’ve got big plans to make the proverbial season two bigger and better. I’ll also be kicking off the new year with an exciting trip to London in January to interview a Premier League star and soon after that, the sport continues as I’ll be presenting the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia. Personally, 2022 has been a massive year of growth and it’s presented me with so many wonderful experiences, so I can’t wait to see what 2023 has in store!
The World Cup is currently under way. Who’s going to win it, and why?
Hopefully England, but honestly, I feel that their best chance of silverware was at the Euro last year, and unfortunately we all know what happened in the Final. For me, the favourites have always been France or Brazil. I know that France have had a whole series of injuries, but when you’ve got Kylian Mbappé in your team, anything is possible.
As for Brazil, they have nine forwards in their squad, and all of them are starters for some of the best teams in the world. On paper, their squad is a sight to behold, it just remains to be seen how that translates onto the pitch.
Come the end of the tournament though, I think the real winner will be my body clock. All these 3am matches have definitely been taking their toll!
Your role in culture is incredibly public facing. When did you realise you were as comfortable as you are behind the mic and in front of the camera?
Honestly, it’s something that just came with practice and time. There was never really one moment I remember when I looked in the mirror and suddenly thought: hey, I can do this! I was definitely not the most confident kid growing up, far from it, in fact. The two years that I spent modelling around Asia though really helped me come out of my shell, both personally and professionally. From then on, it was all just building up experience in front of the camera, from posing for photos, to commercial acting, to acting in TV shows and then on to hosting. Suffice to say that if you’d told 15-year-old me what I’d be doing 15 years later, I definitely wouldn’t have believed you!
As a host, there’s a lot on you to keep your events interesting. What are your hacks? How do you navigate the pressure that comes with that responsibility?
Event hosting is such a different skill. For most of my presenting career, whether it was at Fox Sports Asia, or now at Mediacorp Sport or Class 95, I’ve been used to standing in an empty room usually by myself, and talking into cameras or microphones that never talk back. At events though, it’s all about keeping the audience engaged, and it becomes pretty obvious straightaway if you’re failing to do that!
For me, I try to make things fun and try to be the kind of host that I would want at my event. Engaging, laidback and casual. To achieve that, make sure you do your research, learn your lines, and know your rundown so that you can look the audience in the eye when you talk to them. If you’re lost in cue cards or your script, then you’re quickly going to lose people’s attention as well. Also, mistakes are always gonna happen. Embrace them, roll with them and don’t let them throw you off your game.
You were born in England, raised in Australia and have since relocated to Singapore. How has each country shaped you into the man you are today? Of the three, is there one that is especially significant to you?
England was my childhood, Australia was my adolescence and Singapore has been my adulthood, so all three countries have been equally instrumental in shaping who I am today. They say that you never forget your first, and in that sense England will always be home to me, to an extent, but honestly these days I really can’t see myself living anywhere else but Singapore.
Congrats on your Class 95 show, Afternoons with Edward Russell. Understandably, discussing interesting and relatable topics is a big part of the job. But there’s the raw material of your voice, too. On a fundamental level, how important is your voice to the operation?
Hugely important! I don’t think I’ve ever done as much talking as I have in this past year, and at times it’s definitely taken its toll. I try and rest my voice by not talking too much when I don’t have to, although you’d have to ask my friends how successful I’ve been at that! Also, honey and lemon is definitely a man’s best friend.
From your vantage, what is the future of radio in Singapore?
Before I started on radio, I don’t think I realised just how much reach it has and just how many people listen to you on a daily basis. I’ve lost track of the amount of times I’ve gotten into a cab and the driver straightaway wants to discuss what I was talking about the day before on my show. I see radio as a constant companion, and everyone always needs a good friend.
How comfortable are you with the ‘influencer’ tag? What’s one misconception about it you’d like to dispel?
I don’t really think about it too much, to be honest! I just do me and if people vibe with that, then that’s great.
It’s known that you’re an avid traveller. If you strip away the noise, what would you say makes travel a necessary thing for the modern man to partake in?
That feeling of waking up in a foreign country, where every step is one that you’ve never taken before, where new opportunities and adventures await around every corner. There really is nothing else like it. Experiences shape a person more than anything else, and there’s no greater experience than travelling.
Lastly, paint us a picture: how do you typically celebrate a big feat/the conclusion of a high-stakes endeavour?
Out on my balcony, looking out over Singapore’s skyline with a good glass of whisky in hand, as I reflect on just how lucky I am.
This story was first published in the December 2022/January 2023 issue of Esquire Singapore.
Photographs by Aetll/NPLUSC.
Creative Director and Producer: Vanessa Caitlin.
Fashion Editor: Gordon Ng.
Grooming: Fiona Bennett.
Associate Creative Producer: Hazirah Rahim.
Creative Production Assistants: David Bay and Leonard Wong.
Photographer’s Assistant: Izzy.
