The tension was high at the press conference to announce who would win the Lm3,000 dream job being offered by 89.7 Bay together with Yellow Pages.

Over 300 people from all walks of life had auditioned for the post of co-host on Jonathan Abel’s popular breakfast show. What Bay was looking for was someone with a pleasant broadcasting voice, the ability to speak both Maltese and English, plenty of personality and the all-important element of good chemistry with Jonathan.

After a thorough selection process, which included recording and reporting live, it was down to the final eight: Elinor Barbara, Daphne Gatt, Shana Gafa, Ben Camilleri, Mikela Cardona, Charmaine Caruana, Charlene Mercieca and Lyanne Mifsud.

Station Manager Terry Farrugia kept the suspense mounting as he described who had won: “A 20-year-old who loves fashion and has just come back from working on a cruise ship...”

Elinor Barbara, recognising herself, was stunned and overjoyed at the same time. Walking to her place at the table, she was so overwhelmed that she was unable to speak for several seconds. Her hands were still shaking when she was asked to sign the one-month contract which will have her joining Jonathan Abel every morning.

When asked what made her take part, she said, “I had just come from abroad and heard the advertisement. I thought it sounded like a great job so I went for it.”

During the press conference she was immediately put on the air to speak to Simon Pisani during his radio show.

When she had regained her composure, I asked Elinor what was going through her mind in those final few seconds before the winner was announced. “I thought it was not going to be me because Terry was not looking at me. Then when he described the winner, I realised that I had won. There were times during the competition when I thought I only had a 50/50 chance of winning.”

Elinor is glad to be staying in Malta because although she enjoyed the experience of working as a nail technician on a cruise ship, she was quite homesick.

“Now I have to break the news to them that I won’t be going back. Although before I went on the ship I was dying to get away from Malta, being away has made me appreciate my country more.”

Although she is the winner at this point, the competition is not over. During this month, Elinor will enter into another phase when listeners will be judging her broadcasting abilities. She will be conducting interviews, covering major events on the island, reading the news, reviewing films and much more. In the final week, Bay Radio listeners will be sending SMSs to decide whether she will be voted off or not. If she is kept on, she will be signing a six-month contract and will be earning Lm3,000.

If however, she is voted off, the runner-up will be given his or her chance to make the cut.

“I will be doing my best to stay on for the full six months. After having come this far, I just have to!” Elinor said.