A tribute to Nick Sheridan

A friend.

A good, wonderful, considerate, truly incredible friend.

We’ve heard many words to describe our trainer Nick Sheridan since his death last week.

So many, in fact, it’s hard to choose which one sums up his wondrous personality most.

But for us, what rings true most is that he was a dear friend.

Nick had a way of making anyone and everyone feel like a friend.

Whether you sat beside him to deliver a training session, listened on as he shared his many pearls of wisdom or faced a grilling from him in our studio, he always felt like a good friend.

Someone we could turn to, laugh with, and be inspired by.

Born in Ireland’s Wexford, Nick fit a lot into his 32 years of life.

He began his journalism career in the nation’s RTE News2day, a young person’s news programme, before moving to the foreign affairs desk.

In 2017, he moved to Glasgow, working for STV before making the shift to the BBC where he presented shows such as Drivetime, the Nine and Seven Days.

While taking over the broadcast world, Nick kept up his love for writing by releasing an incredible three books in just four years.

The talented children’s author was behind the novel Breaking News, a non-fiction guide to news and journalism, and the Snoops Bay mystery series.

His final book, The Case of the Poisonous Pigs, will be released later this year.

In December 2022 Nick joined the Pink Elephant family.

Here he turned his hand to media training with ease often sitting alongside co-trainer and longtime pal Colin Stone.

They met at the Scottish Television newsroom in 2017 and quickly bonded over their love of music.

The duo, who often made it known they were in the building with the uproarious laughter they brought out in one another, worked with clients all over the UK, from SEC to Close Brothers.

Colin said: “He had a warmth and a brightness that lit up every room.

“By the time he joined Pink Elephant, he’d built up a name for himself at the BBC, presenting national shows like Drivetime and Seven Days.

“This meant our trainees often recognised him or his voice, which he was mortified about.

“He would completely avoid breakfast on the various overnight training trips we did together.

“While I’d be devouring a fry up, he’d sit and desperately cram in a few more pages of whatever book he was attempting to finish reading.”

It was in those training sessions that Nick cast an even wider friendship net as he shone the light of his talent on all who came into the room.

One client said of Nick: “Although our paths briefly crossed back in September, I found Nick to be a very engaging, magnanimous individual, able to cut through.”

Another agreed: “Nick was fantastic at our training day last year, talented, friendly and very funny.”

He even managed to use the sessions to increase viewership for his shows, as he had become such a popular trainer his trainees looked for him after the course concluded.

One told us: “We really enjoyed his part in our training and since then have always kept an eye out for him on the news.”

While another stated: “With his talent, he had so much to look forward to.”

Of course, his popularity was unquestionable outside the training room, too.

He fantastically distracted his teammates with his extraordinary humour, astounding current affairs knowledge and ability to mould himself to any task.

Andrew McFarlan, Pink Elephant’s managing director, said: “Nick had a genuine passion for enlightening those around him – we knew that before he joined us from his authorship and university lecturing.

“His personality in the training room was a natural extension of that.

“Only he could ask the question “in what other walk of life would you expect a 33% pay rise?” with an inoffensive charm that forced the interviewee into a reasonable position.

“During breaks, he would quiz people on the only five countries in the world, in which you’re unable to colour in any of the letters.

“Huge fun to be around, fiercely intelligent and utterly charming. He’ll be sorely missed.”

Rachael Fulton, fellow Pink Elephant trainer, said: “Nick was so loved and so talented that reading the memorials to him sounded like reading about a fictional character.

“He burned so brightly and that is the one consolation, he touched and improved so many lives.”

Nick is survived by his adoring partner, Lewis, his parents, brother and many, many friends.

Our hearts are broken for all of them and they continue to be in our thoughts.

The Pink Elephant team have only one thing left to say for our dear, wonderful Nick and we will leave it to Colin: “As with all those who die young, there are regrets.

“I wish he and I had persevered more with our broken conversations in Gaelic; with his Irish and my Scots variants.

“I wish we’d pursued something musically together. He most certainly had the voice for it.

“I wish more people had met the Nick I knew.

“I wish he had more time.”

Photos in A Tribute to Nick Sheridan by Pink Elephant Communications. 
A tribute to Nick Sheridan written by Maxine Montgomery.