Annie MacManus has always been a trailblazer. 

She’s come a long way since her early days as a student at Queen’s and has gone on to become one of the most influential voices in music broadcasting. Annie recently returned to Queen’s to receive an honorary Doctor of Literature in recognition of her contributions to the arts. It was a day filled with nostalgia, celebration and a surprise tribute to her longtime pal, Nick Grimshaw.

Annie Mac studied English Literature at Queen’s, arriving in Belfast from Dublin in the late 1990s. She immersed herself in university life while discovering her love for music, eventually diving into the local music scene. Her studies nurtured her passion for writing and poetry, while Belfast’s thriving club culture sparked her interest in DJing. After graduation, she moved to London, worked her way up at BBC Radio 1, and became one of the UK’s most recognisable voices in music broadcasting.

The Queen’s honorary graduation ceremony was a proud moment for both Annie and the University, recognising her impact on the arts, her advocacy for emerging talent and her efforts to bring new voices to the forefront. Dressed in ceremonial robes, we caught up with Annie after the ceremony to find out how it felt to become Dr MacManus.

A LOVE FOR LITERATURE

“I had the best time at Queen’s. I studied English Literature and did a module in film where I studied Stanley Kubrick’s movies; I did a module on contemporary Scottish literature where we got to study Irvine Welsh; I did a module on poetry, where I wrote my first book of poems. Those lecturers, teachers and modules are in me and will stay with me forever. They enriched me so much and encouraged me to learn how to think for myself and learn who I was. I believe it was such a formative time for me.”

A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT

“The poetry module I studied at Queen’s laid the foundations for me in a big way in terms of feeling confident enough to write, to put words together. Funnily enough, when I came to Queen’s, I knew I loved writing and English and literature, but I got completely distracted by clubbing and music. I was able to do my Literature degree alongside falling in love with clubbing, the art of DJing and club culture, and I got very sidetracked. 

“What’s so cool now is that I’ve come full circle and come back to my first love, reading and writing. Being able to do that and be a novelist now feels like coming home. It feels so lovely, and getting this honour for Literature feels very meaningful.”

FEELS LIKE HOME

When asked about how she feels about Belfast, Annie told us:

“Belfast is incredibly dear to me because I came here for three years without really knowing what to expect. It was a place that I’d driven through or around, to get to my granny’s house in County Antrim, and coming here, I felt like a foreigner for the first time in my life. 

“I was so warmly welcomed, though, and met so many people who I’ve maintained lifelong friendships with. And, I suppose, I came of age here. It will always be dear to me because of that.

“Belfast is small – and I say that in comparison to London where I live and Dublin where I’m from. It’s small in the sense that it feels like a city that you can know, and that you can feel very at home in.”

GRIMMY’S BIG DAY OUT

We couldn’t let the interview pass without asking Annie about her bestie Grimmy (Nick Grimshaw). We asked her if she could bring Grimmy to Belfast for 24 hours, where she would take him.

“Back then, I would have brought him to the Basement Bar in the old Students’ Union. Obviously, I would have brought him to Shine. There was also a great club called Vico’s downtown that we used to go to. 

And then we probably would’ve ended up at some after party in the Holylands, at someone’s house until 5 or 6 in the morning. And then back to the pub the next day. I’d like to say there’d be museums, art galleries… but that was the cycle back then and I think I would want him to see how I lived and how much fun it was.”

SLOTHING AROUND

After a day of reflection, Annie’s return to Queen’s ended with an unexpected tribute to Grimmy, when we presented her with a framed picture of a three-toed taxidermy sloth which lives in the reception of the School of Biological Sciences. 

Grimmy the Sloth

To her surprise, the sloth came complete with a red plaque bearing Grimmy’s name. Annie reacted:

“This is a taxidermed sloth. What in the sloth is going on here?! Is that a real plaque that you’ve put in front of it? That’s hilarious. That’s gas.

“I tell you what. I’m recording my podcast with Grim on Tuesday. I will bring this, and I will formally present it to him on behalf of Queen’s University. 

“I can’t guarantee how he’ll react. He’s his own man. He’ll have his own reaction. But I think he’ll be honoured.”

Head to BBC Sounds and tune into the episode of Sidetracked from 21 November 2024 to hear Grimmy’s reaction. 

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