Paul Coia

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Paul Coia (born June 19, 1955, Glasgow) is a Scottish television presenter and continuity announcer who was the first voice on Channel 4.

Coia was schooled at St Aloysius' College in Glasgow and then at the University of Glasgow before going into hospital radio and eventually getting a job as a disc jockey at Radio Clyde.

In the early 1980s he also worked as a continuity announcer for Scottish Television and when he joined Channel 4 on its launch, was the first voice heard on air: "Good afternoon. It's a pleasure to be able to say to you: Welcome to Channel 4!" Subsequently he became a presenter of BBC One's daytime magazine programme, Pebble Mill at One.

In 1988 Coia became the host of the BBC gameshow Catchword, and has since presented a number of other quizzes on various satellite and cable channels.

He stood in once with his wife, Debbie Greenwood, for Gloria Hunniford's afternoon chat show on Five. Coia and Greenwood also sat in for Derek and Ellen Jameson on the late-night show on BBC Radio 2, and Coia (broadcasting solo) also deputised for other presenters on that station.

Most recently Coia has been heard on previews and continuity for the digital channel ABC1, but has since moved on.

Coia can also occasionally be seen on the shopping channel QVC in the UK, where he mainly sells mechanical products.

He now lives in England and has two children, Annalie, 13 and Luisa,10.

Paul has been heard on 102.2 Smooth Radio since February 2008. ^[1]