In 1978, ex peanut farmer Jimmy Carter was the US president, Grease was the biggest selling film and Mork and Mindy first hit the TV screens.

Oh and Angelina Socci was born.

Angelina started work at the unusually young age of seven when she appeared on stage at Birmingham's Alexandra Theatre with the inimitable Danny La Rue in the pantomime “Mother Goose”.

Having failed the auditions for the parts of both Mother and Goose, she elected for a slightly smaller role, which led to her first career in theatre and TV work.

By the time she was in her mid teens, the reality of a choice between a life on stage and a stable career became apparent and Angelina concentrated on her education, pursuing a degree in English.

Angelina Socci: Our newest presenter

Working at the legendary (and now demolished) Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham , she gained valuable experience in the media, and in 2001 attained a post graduate diploma in Broadcast Journalism.

Her journalistic career started in earnest, working for BBC WM as a radio journalist, reporting, reading the news bulletins and producing radio programmes across Birmingham , the Black Country, Coventry and Warwickshire.

In 2005, after a brief period working for BBC Midlands Today, Angelina worked as a freelance journalist in radio and television, for both the BBC and the commercial sector, until her arrival at East Midlands Today in December 2005.

She may have left her dancing career some way behind, but it is certainly not forgotten as she is a qualified dance teacher and still manages to find time to teach youngsters the joys of tap, modern and ballet; even being known by some of the children as Angelina Ballerina!

Moving to East Midlands Today has meant a move away from her native West Midlands and she now lives in East Staffordshire with her partner (soon to be husband if she gets her way – and she usually does) and three cats.