Generations of British families remember Andi Peters from the BBC ‘broom cupboard’ with furry friend Edd the Duck. Most recently, he starred in TV’s Dancing on Ice, and caused a stir with photos of his impressively bulked-up physique for a challenge in a leading men’s fitness magazine.

But behind the camera, Andi is enjoying a hugely successful and varied career. From producing and consulting on popular TV features and programmes such as Channel 4’s T4, to running his own successful business, his busy schedule means staying in touch with his friends, colleagues and business associates is more important than ever.

Rarely caught without his mobile, Andi regularly features on lists of top celebrity Tweeters and knows all about staying connected. So whether you’re an Andi Peters fan, or fancy getting some insider information on all things celeb, log on and chat to the man who knows the importance of staying well connected.

Andi Peters joins us live.

For more information visit www.vodafone.co.uk/suresignal

Sure Lifestyle Webchat

H: Vicky Letch, host

A: Andy Peters

H: Hello I'm Vicky Letch and welcome to the Lifestyle Show. The internet, digital and mobile communications technologies have enabled many of us to become better connected with more than just our friends. Through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, we're not only able to follow some of our favourite celebrities but we're also able to directly engage with them by replying to posts and "tweets", as well as sending messages to them direct. While this makes the world feel a smaller place, it does pose a challenge for those of us who are uncertain about the new media digital world order

Intro

H: And here to unravel all of the above is Andy Peters. Hello!

A: Hello how are you?

H: I'm very well. I just want you to know, I did order some dry ice and dancing girls, but they said it was not in the budget

A: Oh! No expense indeed was spared.

H: So apologies for the non-fanfare

A: No, I like being here

H: Well we love having you here

A: Thank you very much

H: Do remember of course we are totally live, so if you do have any questions or comments that you'd like to put to Mr Peters, pop them in the box below, click submit and we'll endeavour to answer as many as possible won't we?

A: And is this the time to say hello to people I know who are watching?

H: Do some shout-outs, definitely

A: Hi there. If I know you, thanks for watching. There we go

H: Oh gosh that was generic!

A: well because I don't know which one of my friends might be watching you see

H: Oh Babs, Pete –

A: Alex Reid, Vinnie Jones, Stephanie Beacham, they're all mates, they might all be watching

H: Not in the house, they're not allowed. So let's kick off then by just talking about your hugely successful television career

A: Thank you

H: Did you know that you had one of those?

A: Well do you know that's very kind of you to say, exactly, because I was about - you're not about to give me a lifetime achievement award and then I have to leave?

H: No. Would you cry if we did that though?

A: I probably would

H: Would there be tears?

A: There'd be tears

H: Bring out the red book, let's get him crying! No we won't do that to you. So hugely successful television career and of course so many other strings to one's bow

A: Well you know the thing about television is I'm very lucky, I've been in television since I was 18 years old, which is a long time ago, and in that time, you know, you go through periods where you work constantly and then where you have times when ok you haven't got a show to do, so I don't like being bored, that's my problem

H: Yes

A: I can't – I'm not one of these people who can wake up and have a lie-in, I just can't do it. The longest lie-in I get is I listen to Chris Moyles at 6.30

H: Yes

A: I'll put the radio on, and I'll wait for him to play the first record and when he plays that record, I get up. That's the longest lie-in I get, and I normally do that on a Wednesday

H: Oh my God!

A: So I always like to keep busy, and new ventures and I have a lot of interests outside of just presenting television shows which is why I then went into producing television shows

H: Yes

A: Which is why I then went into being in charge of a channel that makes television shows with T4, so you know it's great to just keep the mind active I think

H: Yes, you are a legend, I've said it!

A: Thank you very much

H: But obviously managing your contacts and your relationships is something that must be essential to you, keeping your busy life ticking over smoothly?

A: Yes if you think back, you know to 10, 20 years, people had a Filofax which was a – you know all these bits of paper

H: Yes

A: With people's names on, alphabetical order, then they changed their number and you get the Tippex out – I mean times have changed, and luckily enough now it's so much easier to manage looking after people, and I think having a great contact book is good, but you've got to make sure that you're managing those contacts

H: Yes

A: And you know even making sure when it's people's birthdays, remembering when those are, I think it's the little things are what make you different, so therefore it's important for everyone to have a base and somewhere to go to, an encyclopaedia of the bits and pieces about people you need to know

H: To be a good buddy

A: Yes absolutely, I mean that's really important

H: Yes absolutely I agree. Now is it fair to say you are a heavy user of Twitter? Intermediate, medium or heavy user, what would you go for?

A: I'd say – I don't know because I would say that Philip Schofield is a heavy user

H: Ok

A: And I'd say that I'm one below Philip Schofield in usage

H: Ok

A: I enjoy it, I think it's a really great way to chat to people that you might never get to meet in real life, and to get a gauge of what people are doing anywhere in the country, anywhere in the world

H: Absolutely. But obviously because you do have the opportunity now to "tweet" – is that the correct terminology?

A: That's correct, yes that is correct terminology

H: You are really in charge of your public image these days. Is that something that you relish or actually does it end up adding more pressure?

A: I think, again, depending on how you use Twitter will depend how you manage your brand

H: Yes

A: I think that's the way you should think of it, so if you go on there and slag everybody off and say nasty things, ok people will be able to form much more of an opinion of you. The thing is when you work on television or on radio, people build-up an image based on what they see. I think the great thing about Twitter is, you get to have a one-to-one relationship with somebody who might never have – who might have thought good of you before, who might have thought bad of you before. Actually if you get round to answering their question they go oh actually wow, thanks for answering, you know, and it makes you more human, because at the end of the day we are just human, all of us, whether we're on a TV screen, whether you hear someone's voice coming out of a radio, we are just humans

H: Yes absolutely and it's another thing to do, instead of calling, instead of texting, and it is a nice thing for fans as well to be able to post little comments to you. I must say, have you ever posted anything, and you've got a bit of a backlash for it, you weren't expecting? Was there an uproar?

A: No not really because I'm not that controversial a person, but what was really interesting was one day – it was when – Alesha – somebody was on the X Factor and I said oh – Shakira – I said I don't really like this Shakira song, and then something happened in the commercial break, and I said oh I don't really like this, and everyone said oh are you alright Andy, it's not like you not to like everything. I was like yes maybe I don't normally say when I don't like something, you know but it's really interesting that you get to form a relationship and people begin to know you and how you work. You know, people who use Twitter will know that I love eating pineapple every morning, I like going to the gym, I have to go to work, go to meetings during the day, but yes it's a really nice way to form relationships

H: Ok and I just want to back you up, Shakira – those hips don't lie baby! I mean she is awesome!

A: The hips don't lie but I think she's really done, but the song -

H: Yes the song did nothing for me

A: She's been one of those artists whose been very lucky. You know Shakira, Shakira – ooh baby. Ok Shakira, give up, that's it

H: You heard it here first Shakira, it's over baby! This is quite big news isn't it?

A: And I didn't realise she was so young

H: How young is she? Don't tell me I'll get depressed

A: Ok -

H: Oh go on tell me I want to know

A: I don't know but she can only be about 23 or 24, but I always think of her as Shakira, Gloria Estefan age

H: Yes exactly. Well she's achieved so much

A: Yes she's young really

H: That does explain the svelte hips, that makes me feel a bit better

A: the hips don't lie

H: It's true! Now social media yes, excellent but of course we all like to – well I certainly like to natter on the telephone. I would say it's one of my hobbies

A: Right

H: You know on the CV hobbies, I say talking on the phone. Hasn't really opened many doors for me as you can imagine Andy

A: I was going to say this is why you're not on Newsnight, probably! Yes I mean I'm one of these people, you send me a text, depending on the time of day I go you know what, I'll phone them back, because that's – again I think texting is great and I love it, but occasionally, do you know what, I want to have a conversation with that person. You can get more across and you can be more emotive when you talk as opposed to la de da de da and a smiley face

H: Absolutely

A: So communication is the key, and I've always said this, people who've worked for me, people I've hired say absolutely communication is king. I used to ban emails on Mondays, if you were emailing someone in the building on a Monday, no you have to walk to them

H: Fantastic

A: Walk to their desk and go and talk to them

H: I love that

A: And on a Monday you've both got a weekend to talk about, rather than – it used to be called no mail Monday, you couldn't email people on Mondays, if they were in the building

H: That is a brilliant idea. We should actually campaign for that idea to go worldwide. Maybe something you can do when you're president. We'll discuss anon!

A: So I think, you know the mobile telephone for me is one of the greatest inventions ever

H: Yes

A: Alexander Graham Bennett, sitting there now and I thank you Alexander, quite frankly because I think it's a great -

H: Did you get that? I mean to say did you get that?

A: Well we don't know do we?

H: We don't know

A: But yes I think it's a great invention and absolutely – how did people manage without it? And I love my phone and I'm quite lucky because I can remember phone numbers just like that, so -

H: Wowzies, I don't have that

A: So I'm very lucky, I can remember -

H: I have an emotional attachment to my telephone, and if I'm for example, let's say I'm eating in a restaurant, perhaps you have to go down some stairs to get in it, so you're basement level, if I don't have any service on my phone, I can quite literally break out into a cold sweat. It's instantaneous

A: Hilarious!

H: I feel disconnected from the world -

A: it's funny you should say that because where I live, at my house, I live – I don't live in a valley, I'm not like in Wales or somewhere, but it's a very poor reception area once you get inside my house, so outside my house, reception's fine, go into my house, it's got very thick walls

H: Gated. Fingerprint to get in

A: Absolutely, like an episode of 24. But once you're in the house, no signal. But I have discovered the Vodafone Sure Signal which is an amazing box, you connect it up to your internet, and it broadcasts a signal in your own home. Hilarious. Guaranteed signal. No you laugh, because I'm the kind of person – I was a bit of a technophobe -

H: Yes

A: And I was ok, I'll give it a go, put it in and guaranteed – your phone signal in your house, if you're – or if you had a basement or anything like that, bam you've got great phone signal

H: Brilliant

A: And I've been using it and it's genius

H: I actually love the fact that you are confessing t'nation that you are a technophobe

A: Right

H: Because I am as well and sometimes I get scared of new technology

A: I'm not a technophobe, don't please tar me with your brush, I just like new technology to be explained to me

H: Ok yes

A: So you know you can get the I-phone now, once it's explained to me how to use it, I'm fine

H: You're all over it like a – technical rash

A: Yes absolutely. But I like to be taught, I don't like to go off into the shop and have to buy it myself, but seriously you buy this box, bung it in, connect two wires and my phone worked. And for me in my house, in particular because I had bad signal in the house, it's been a dream come true

H: Brilliant. We're happy for him aren't we? Yes! Right let's start fielding some of these questions through then

A: Ok

H: Wayne Jackson, thank you very much. Now Wayne says "for someone whose achieved so many great things in their life, is there anything you hope to accomplish in the near future which you haven't had the opportunity to do yet?"

A: Thank you Wayne for your question. I think what I'd like to do is I would like to – I'd like to, do you know bizarrely I'm a morning person, so I'd quite like to do a morning TV show

H: Oh yes

A: Where you finish work by like half ten and then go home and I can go to the gym and have the whole day free, which of course you wouldn't do, but I'd love it because I don't have a problem with getting up at like half past five, half past six, love it

H: Fantastic

A: So maybe a good morning show, so if Philip leaves This Morning watch this space

H: I'll kill off Holly – I'm saying it now

A: That's slightly harsh! That was a bit much. Because she's lovely.

H: Ok that's a bit much wasn't it – I take it back. Holly you're fine, you're safe. She is lovely, I won't kill you, it's fine. Right Lucy Kramer, thank you very much Lucy. Lucy says "hi. Is there any truth in the rumours that you are working on a single with Chris Moyles?"

A: There is no truth in the rumour, Chris Moyles is working on a song with James Corden and the Chris Moyles team but I do feature on the Chris Moyles album

H: Ok

A: Yes I am on -

H: With a cow bell or are we vocals?

A: You need to buy the album to find out and work out what part I play on the album

H: Ok

A: It's a very successful selling album as well

H: Really, I'm going to make sure I check that ou then .

A: Cheers Lucy

H: Hazel Jones, thank you Hazel. "Why is social networking so important from a career perspective?" That's a good question

A: I think from a career perspective people have got to be careful because as employers, if you've got a Facebook page which has got you out drunk with all your pictures, and I'm your potential employer, I have a look and go well actually do I really want to employ this person and the other thing you've got to be careful of is dodgy email addresses. If your email address is – whatever whatever whatever dot @ you know .com

H: You've got to -

A: You've got to be careful because people do and honestly I've had CVs where they've got it at the top of their CV, actually I would have changed that email address because it says something about you

H: Absolutely

A: So from a career perspective, on the plus side, it means that you can have an online CV, an online persona, that an employer can go to and look at and go actually I quite like that person, so it's swings and roundabouts, so if you are going to have a Facebook, make sure it's something you want other people to be able to see

H: Yes I totally agree and I think when Facebook first came around people were slightly reckless and I know lots of my friends have certainly reeled themselves back in thinking aha let's be a bit smart about this now

A: Yes the email address thing does still amaze – amaze and amuse me very often

H: I can imagine. Yes I can imagine. Emma Tills – have I said that right? I hope so, "is there ever a case you can Twitter too much and end up looking like a bit of a twit?" Do you see what I did there?

A: I do

H: She said Twitter and took the "ter" off

A: And it became "twit". I don't think there is a case when you can "tweet" too much, and there are people that I follow that do tweet a lot, and you get to the stage where you think oh shall I just get rid of them, because it fills up the inbox kind of thing

H: Yes

A: But then I feel bad, I think once I follow you I feel bad to take you off

H: I would be the same, yes

A: But I don't like to have more than 40 – to be following more than 40 people, so every so often I have a little bit of a cull. Why not?

H: No I agree, clear it out

A: Yes exactly. Do you not do that with your mobile?

H: I do it with my mobile and I do it with Facebook and what amazes me is if any of you are watching, I delete and I delete and thrice I delete, and they still come back and request me again and I think -

A: Well sitting here now I can understand why

H: Yes pretty special stuff. Oh Andy, look at this -

A: Oh my word. Oops sorry

H: Now this is on Facebook ,we must let you know, there's a wonderful fan page for Andy Peters. Andy Peters, thank you

A: I can look at it now

H: Andy Peters for President!

A: Ah

H: I mean look. I love the picture. That's very sort of newsworthy

A: I'll tell you what that is, that was the Dancing On Ice original launch show, launched – press launch picture

H: So tell me underneath there was spandex and -

A: There wasn't I'm afraid. I think the costumes were made by then. Me as president, yes can you imagine – Barak beat me to it. Darn it

H: Oh shucks. Yes I'm sure whoever has set up that page would quite like you to be a topless president.

A: Leave it

H: Couldn't not say it. Christine, just simply Christine

A: Quite right

H: Christine says "what's the best way to stay on top of everything that's going on in your industry and have you got any tips on how to get the gossip first?" I'd like to know this

A: How to get the gossip first, again stay connected

H: Yes

A: Because that's what the internet, phones are all about, and make sure you've got good sources

H: Yes. So Andy thank you so much for coming in today

A: You're more than welcome, lovely to meet you

H: Well it's been lovely to meet you too, and of course enlightening myself and the world all about the Sure Signal Booster

A: Indeed

H: Thank you so much

A: If indeed any of you at home want any further information regarding just that, log on to vodafone.co.uk/suresignal and I'll see you soon. Bye bye

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