I met parliamentary reporter Josef Mádle, who is the face of the CNN Prima NEWS and Prima channels, in the Chamber where he was reporting on the meeting that was in session. But he deals with more than just politics; he hosts cultural and social events such as balls, festivals, fashion shows, or expert conferences.
You live by the motto, “Believe! Run! You can do it!” Is it always easy to follow?
I try to! I'm a little conservative, I don't like walking away from established things, I don't like uncertainty. I try to hold on until the last moment, I'm a bit of a grunt in that sense. I'm not sure that it's always the best thing, but it's just who I am. I can't do much about it.
You're originally from Vrchlabí. What was your childhood like?
I was born in Vrchlabí in the Podkrkonoší Region, that much is true, but I grew up in a small village called Kuks close to Dvůr Králové nad Labem, where the unique baroque Hospital is located. I've been drawn to theater ever since I was little, it was my life. I have fond memories of appearing in the Theatrum Kuks Festival. The Festival is still going to this day and it consists of several days filled with theater, classical music, dance, opera, marionette theater, and human and artistic connection.
What was your favorite role?
My favorite play is “The Servant of Two Masters”, where I played the sniveling Silvio, a pushover who gets the stage wiped with him throughout the play. I enjoyed the role very much, but if I could pick, I'd like to act in a fantasy movie or a fairy tale.
Do you still act today?
Yes, I play small parts from time to time. The last one I played was a host in Prima's show Zoo, and I also appeared in the movie Jak se moří revizoři as well as just recently in the Asian movie My Diary, written and directed by the legendary Jackie Chan. Working with such a star is something I'll remember for the rest of my life.
You were a guide at the Kuks Castle for several years. How has that benefited you? I learned how to communicate with people, how to express myself and present information. I already knew then that I wanted to be a host, and it felt like a great way to get some experience. And just between us – it was also a way to make some money and not have to “get my hands dirty”. [laughs]
Do you still enjoy going on tours of historic landmarks?
I don't have a whole lot of free time, and the time I do have I try to spend with my family. And yes, we do take trips to various castles now and then. I also spend summers as a counselor at a kids' camp. And I like going to concerts and the theater. I like to laugh, I love the comedy genre.
You also earned some experience as a radio host in the UK. What was that like?
It was a wonderful time, I learned to be independent of my family for the first time for a period of six months. I traveled there with three of my former high school classmates and we sampled life in a British medieval town. It was exactly like what you see in the movies. Peculiar houses with wooden floors that creaked when you walked on them, stone walls, swathes of green grass. Steven Spielberg was supposed to shoot his movie War Horse there. I met people from all over the world, improved my English, and made memories that will last a lifetime.
How did you manage hosting in the beginning?
Oh, I managed, or at least I thought I did. It was more about how everyone else managed to deal with me. They were all saints with how much patience they had, brushing past my babbling and helping me improve. I actually started hosting when I was thirteen at proms and festivals, and it stuck with me.
But a live segment on TV is a different beast. Was it a dream of yours?
I really enjoyed doing the balls and events but I needed to make myself a bit more visible to get work, and TV is the best way to do that. It somehow “got out of hand” and I started enjoying TV work. I was learning, emulating, trying to get a feel for how the professionals I worked with were doing things. I started taking an even greater interest in things happening in society and around the world and it just clicked.
Do you remember your first segment on live TV?
Doing live reporting is extremely difficult, completely different than hosting a show live. A live report gives me one or two minutes at most to formulate the things I want to impart to the viewers in a cohesive manner. It needs to make sense and I mustn't jumble my words.
You spent more than a year hosting the New Day morning show with Soňa Porupková. And you still step in for your colleague now and then. What does it take to prepare for a show like that?
I love the New Day show on CNN Prima NEWS and Prima. And as for what it took? Primarily, getting up at half past three in the morning. Then the usual kind of host preparation, such as who the guests are, what we'll be talking about, I had to read up a lot on the guests and the topics at hand. We provide viewers with a truly diverse show, we talk with politicians, doctors, artists, and experts in various fields.
How do you like broadcasting from the Chamber? It's a rather specific environment...
That's true. I interview politicians and keep up with the goings on within and without the Chamber. I then report in regular live broadcasts as well as the Evening News. I also put together full reports, interviews, and edit them. The Chamber of Deputies is an environment that takes some getting used to. I have to keep in mind that the politicians tend to show off. They like being the center of attention, and they like teasing their opponents even more. [laughs] Truth be told, it's a bit of a comedy from time to time, but I guess that's just part of today's political culture.
Have you ever had a laughing fit that you just couldn't stop on live TV?
I sure did! The viewers have never let me live down the moment when I was presenting the news on New Day and I read about the police catching a thief because of a bite mark in a sausage they found nine years after the fact. [laughs] It was the honest truth, but my colleague Libor Bouček who was listening intently burst out laughing behind the camera. He was laughing so hard that I just couldn't keep a straight face. And so we laughed together. But I was in front of the camera...
Josef has been spending his holidays at the Běluň summer camp for more than two decades.
I hear you're working on another interesting project currently. Can you tell us a bit more?
I can't go into too much detail, of course, but I can say that it's a biographical documentary about a well-known figure who is still alive today. They are a part of political life and I'm sure they have a lot to say to the viewers. Nearly everyone is bound to know them in Czechia, but not a single documentary has actually been shot about them. I'm currently collecting all the information and editing the script. The entire project is under my leadership.
What should a host be like in terms of personality?
They should be trustworthy, a good listener, empathetic, communicative, work well under pressure, have a good level of general knowledge, and be constantly on the lookout for more information and making sure it's up to date.
You also host charity events and take part in charity. What exactly do you do?
Yes. Of course, hosting is a way to make a living, but such work is also a gift, and I want to give back to society by taking every opportunity I can to help a good cause. So I do charity work and I organize benefit concerts. To be more specific, I am a patron of the St. Joseph Home in Žireč, a village close to Dvůr Králové nad Labem. It's the only inpatient facility in the country for people with multiple sclerosis.
SUMMER CAMP
Josef Mádle has been spending the beginning of his summer holidays at the Běluň summer camp close to Dvůr Králové for more than twenty years. “We sit by the fire, no electricity, essentially no cell signal,” he paints the picture. “There's no wifi, kids put their phones away. We try to help the new generation experience amazing summer holidays just the way we did. We have a new overarching game every year with a specific theme; we just play, surrounded by nature. The kids learn how to use a compass, start a fire, tie knots, and they learn how to take care of themselves and their friends in nature.”
CV BOX
Josef Mádle (born November 10, 1992, in Vrchlabí) is a host on CNN Prima NEWS/Prima FTV and Radio Prostor.
He graduated in sales and business from Czech Sales Academy Trutnov and later studied at the University of Economics and Management Prague. He also took several courses on presenting and event organization.
He has been a host since 2008. In 2011, he placed 3rd in the Young Host national competition. In 2012, he spent a year as an intern at Soundart Radio 102.5 FM in Great Britain. Between 2014 and 2016, he worked for a Trutnov regional channel and then for PRAHA TV. He has been with PRIMA FTV since 2016.
Mádle was also the manager of the band Diamantes and the singer and Czech Superstar finalist Leona Černá.
He has appeared in minor roles in various movies, such as the South Korean The Beauty Inside, or the Chinese movie My Diary, while also making an appearance in one episode of The Zodiac Murders.
Besides hosting, he also edits video and sound.
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