Former Escape to the Country presenter Nicki Shields has candidly shared her experiences of feeling the need to prove her worth in the television industry. Embracing the challenge with gusto, the 39-year-old continues to make waves and set records.

Nicki is now making a name for herself in the adrenaline-fueled world of motorsports. This year marks her debut as the lead presenter of Formula E, becoming the first woman to hold this position.

Her pride in her achievements is evident. "I'm very proud of what we've done," she stated. In addition to her groundbreaking role in Formula E, Nicki has also lent her voice to F1 the Academy, which is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on Wednesday, May 28.

Despite the historically male-dominated nature of the industry, Nicki has ascended to the pinnacle of her profession. In an exclusive interview with before the launch of the Netflix series, she discussed how she navigated the intense scrutiny that came with being one of the few female presenters in sports broadcasting.

She disclosed: "I think, for me, I felt that maybe because I was a woman, I needed to know everything about the sport. So, I had to prove myself ten times over that I knew every fact and stat and could explain what was happening, and knew the history of the driver, of the race track, of the car, could explain the technology of the battery - everything.

"So I did go into every race as if it was an exam and I think that kind of put me in good stead because then you get the respect from the audience that they may have been quick to judge otherwise."

Discussing her approach to social media criticism, she conceded she has been relatively unscathed but chooses to ignore negativity. "If someone has got the time and energy to say something negative about something I know was either a good broadcast, or was factually correct, or was my own opinion, then I just feel a little bit sorry for them."

She expressed a sense of pity for detractors, remarking: "It's like, 'gosh, if that's what makes you happy, I feel a sadness for you'. So yeah, they get my sorrows and I wish them well."

Nicki acknowledged the slow progression of women's inclusion in the motor racing industry. She elaborated: "So we've had girls on track, we've had dare to be different, the individual sports, the teams are trying to recruit more women. There's STEM, you know, getting science, technology, education and maths to more women."

She reflected on the efforts promoting women in different fields, saying: "So, I think everyone is trying to push more women in these areas and it's all the accumulation of 10 or 15 years of hard work suddenly starting to pay off."

Nicki also teased what fans can expect from a new motorsport production, hinting at a blend of humour and authenticity. "Ultimately, it's hopefully going to captivate that new audience who will then want to watch the F1 Academy series as we get racing on track."

Escape to the Country is on BBC One weekdays at 3pm and on BBC iPlayer