Toby Amies

Who is Toby Amies?

Toby Amies is a broadcaster, filmmaker and photographer, best known for his work on Radio4, MTV UK's Alternative Nation, FilmFour, Lonely Planet Six Degrees and The Rough Guides. Toby specialises in making programmes about art, music and travel, with a special emphasis on fringe culture and alternative perspectives. In addition, he is a widely published portrait photographer and writer.

Amies was brought up in Worcestershire and went to the University of Exeter in Devon and subsequently the University of Kansas, where he was awarded a scholarship in Art History. He declined the scholarship in favour of work in music TV in the UK at The Powerstation, where he was on the air with Chris Evans, Boy George, Steven Wells and Suggs. He started DJing in art college in Cheltenham and after leaving the UK he worked behind the decks in Arizona at top 40 radio station KRQ alongside Jimmy Kimmel. He later worked at MCA Records in Los Angeles and then moved to work in the news department at MTV Europe partly thanks to work/appearances with Quentin Tarantino and Traci Lords at MCA.

Whilst at MTV Europe he worked on the programmes Alternative Nation, Weekend Edition, The Big Picture and was the co-creator of the programme MTV Hot which later featured Paul Tonkinson, Sara Cox and the German actor Christian Ulmen as hosts. He also worked alongside Davina McCall.