Brits in LA has over 5000 members, so we thought it was about time we started meeting some of them! Each week we will pose the same five questions to a different member of Brits in LA. So lets kick it off this week with Dr David Bull, from London who moved to LA two and a half years ago as a TV host.
Was there a particular reason you chose LA?
I’d been working as a TV host for the last 16 years in the UK. I had reached a stage where I had hosted some very big prime-time shows including Watchdog Healthcheck, Tomorrow’s World and Most Haunted Live! TV in London was becoming very stagnant and my agent (and I) thought it would be a good idea to try something new. I actually started off in New York, contributing to the Rachael Ray show and hosting segments for Web MD. I could have lived in either New York or LA. But having lived in London for 20 odd years, I really didn’t want to live in another city like it.…so I opted for LA. It’s the home of Entertainment, is a completely different experience to London and the weather is amazing!
What one thing do you miss from home?
My friends and family. That really is it. But I’m spoilt as I also still work in London and fly back frequently. Once I found that I could buy Marmite and Cadbury’s Dairy milk over here, I was sorted!
What do you find the biggest difference is living here versus the UK?
LA is a different planet. People here don’t speak English. They speak American. And it’s different. It has a different lexicon and sentiment. Also, I found it impossible at the beginning, to work out if people really meant what they said, especially when they were gushing in praise and offering jobs! And insisting ‘we must meet up!’ Now I’ve learnt the hard way that most of them (not all) don’t mean it at all!
Do you have a hidden gem in LA that you want to share with us?
Food wise it has to be Veggie Grill. Mmn delicious. And Fresh Corn Grill in West Hollywood.
Joining BAFTA LA was a Godsend. As was joining Brits in LA. I suddenly realized I wasn’t the only one who was finding the transition here difficult!
What would you suggest to others who are thinking about making the move here?
Make sure you realize you are moving to a foreign country. This is not England in the sunshine. It’s America – no! It’s California. It’s a foreign place, with foreign customs, and a foreign language! If I’d realized that and made allowances when I first got here, I could have saved myself a lot of heartache!
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