Many Brits grew up with June Sarpong as the legendary presenter fronted some of the biggest youth shows around, including 's teen show T4.

Known for its edgy takes and giving British broadcasting legends like and Steve Jones their big break, the show saw June in her element as she grilled celebrities. T4 was targeted towards 16-24-year-olds and aired on Saturday and Sunday mornings, entertaining the mostly hungover youth of the .

"There were all sorts of sketches on that show that you definitely couldn't do now," June said. "I think we got close to being cancelled a couple of times back then! I can only imagine what would happen if that were today."

Now 47, the star first got her footing in radio as a teenager, and by 19 was a TV star. She remembers everyone at the time being "so young", falling into the same age group as those watching at home.

She said: "People say, 'Oh my God, you were part of my youth,' and they don't realise we were more or less the same age as our audience. It's just that none of us went to university! We went straight on air."

June reflects on those T4 times fondly, saying it was "such a gift", but has since gone on to focus on more impactful topics in her presenting career. She said: "There aren't many shows like that, and there certainly hasn't been another one like it since."

Reflecting on how things have changed, the TV presenter said: "Thank God it's being talked about now, right? I mean, back then nobody considered any of that stuff." Admittedly, she was pretty well "looked after" during her time on screen and claims to be "lucky".

Despite its many controversies, June is pleased to be a part of that era of boyband culture, wild TV and divisive fashion. As more and more nostalgic TV shows based on 90s and 00s culture are hitting our screens, she's "so glad to be Gen X."

"We had the best time." June reflects. "How lucky for my generation to be old enough to remember life before the internet, before the digital revolution, but still young enough to be able to adopt it.

"And at a time when music was so exciting. I was so lucky to be part of that, to be interviewing all those bands. It was a resurgence of British music: Blur, Oasis, even the Spice Girls."

Decades later, while still withholding her old-bubbly ways, June focuses her time on tackling these sorts of issues within the media and calls for a more "nuanced conversation." The ex-t4 stars want to help in creating a "balanced, safe space for interesting, sensible conversations", both on and off screen.

With this in mind, she's launched a book retelling the inspiring story of the BBC's first Black female broadcaster and producer, Una Mason. It was this journey that later led to June becoming the broadcaster's first director of creative diversity in 2019.

"The main reason I wanted to tell her story was I couldn't believe I had never heard of her," she shared. "She was a woman that refused to be limited by her times. She lived in an era where Black people were not seen as human, let alone capable...

"She did, and she was able to do things that would be considered extraordinary by anybody at any time in history."

Her latest venture, Calling Una Marson: The Extraordinary Life of a Forgotten Icon, hopes to inspire others, no matter what their background. Throughout her own journey, and that of Uma Mason, June has learnt that "anyone can defy the odds."