Former SJD student lands top TV role

FORMER Sir John Deane’s College student Mary-Ann Ochota has landed a dream job as co-presenter of the archaeology programme Time Team on Channel 4.

Mary-Ann, who attended SJD until 1999 is taking part in the series due to be shown on TV in Spring 2012.

The former student said: “I feel very privileged to be getting these opportunities to see the world and meet so many incredible people.

“SJD is still the best place I've ever studied, in no small part thanks to my tutor Pauline Lowrie.”

After SJD Mary-Ann went on to study Archaeology and Anthropology at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University.

Following Uni she moved to London and spent time working as a model – later going into the TV industry as a researcher and runner for various different shows.

Following a lot of hard work (and rejection letters) Mary-Ann got her first big TV job on Castaway: Exposed with Richard Bacon for BBC3...then a documentary for BBC4 about Silbury Hill, and later for the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, BBC, various web TV stations.

As well as her role on Time Team, she is also currently filming a documentary series for Animal Planet to be screened in 2012.

Pauline Lowrie, Mary-Ann’s former teacher, said: “Mary-Ann was a gifted and delightful student and we are not at all surprised by her success – we are really looking forward to seeing her as part of the Time Team which will no doubt inspire many students studying at SJD today and in the future.”