A FORMER Westmorland Gazette journalist who has begun presenting a new morning show on a major national news channel has revealed what it is like to work with Nigel Farage.

Patrick Christys has landed himself a spot presenting To The Point on GB News alongside Mercy Muroki.

The start-up channel only launched in June and has marketed itself as offering an ‘anti-woke’ agenda unafraid to tackle the issues the British public really cares about.

It counts renowned Scottish journalist Andrew Neil and outspoken former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage as among its presenters.

“I have worked with Nigel Farage for a number of years,” said Mr Christys, 29.

“What I will say about Nigel is, regardless of what anyone thinks of his political views, he turns up every single day at least several hours before his show.

“He’s a lesson in how to work hard and achieve results.

“He does tend to win the battles that he picks, and there’s a lesson in that for people.”

Mr Christys worked for the Gazette for two years, leaving in 2016, and looks back on the period spent in Kendal as one of the ‘happiest times of my life’.

Amongst the subjects he particularly remembers tackling as a reporter were ongoing troubles at Kendal Town Football Club and the Lake District National Park Authority selling off plots of ‘iconic’ land.

It was not always plain sailing for Mr Christys, who once managed to get himself kicked out of an election count following a disagreement - and had to ask his girlfriend to send the results through for him to patch back to the office.

Mr Christys joined GB News from talkRadio, where he hosted Drivetime.

He felt the opportunity to be ‘on the ground floor of something’ that had ‘the potential to become the biggest news channel in the UK’ was too good to pass up.

“I was very, very grateful for the opportunity that radio has given me and I loved every single second of being there,” he said.

“I wanted to see if I could try and achieve something in TV as well.”

He believes there is a gap in the market for an ‘opinion-led, punchier news outlet’ that is ‘not necessarily afraid to say what most people are thinking’.

To The Point airs on weekday mornings between 9am and midday.

GB News is available on Freeview 246 and Sky HD 515.