Elaina Smith has a straight-talking schoolgirl and a wise head on her seven year old shoulders – which is why she is Britain’s youngest agony aunt.
Her local radio station gave her the job after she rang and offered advice to a woman caller who had been dumped. Elainas tip go bowling with pals and drink a mug of milk was so good she got a weekly slot. Now she give advises thousands of adult listeners on everything from ending a stale relationship. The littler adviser tackles problems ranging from how to dump boyfriends and how to cope with relationship breakdown to dealing with smelly brothers.
Elaina, from Coventry, West Midlands, appears on Mercia FM’s breakfast show and helps hundreds of people write to her with their problems each week.
She said: ‘I used to want to be a vet when I was younger, but now I want to be on the radio. I really enjoy it and tell my friends about it at school. I say whatever comes into my head and people like what I say.’
Breakfast host Andy Goulding said adults responded to Elaina’s straight-talking attitude.
He added: ‘The advice Elaina offers is laid-back and honest, we’ve been inundated with people emailing us with their problems since she’s been on our show.’
‘Within a minute of us broadcasting her first slot a woman in hospital phoned in saying how much she enjoyed hearing the little girl’s voice, it really cheered her up.’
Elaina got her break after listening to the show as she got ready for school.
Her mum Karen Harris, 31, added: “Elaina’s dad and I separated. She’s always trying to set me up with people in town. I am happy being single but if I do need advice I know who to ask.”
Elaina Smith’s top lifestyle tips
- When one listener wrote to Elaina asking how to get a man, the street-wise seven-year-old replied: “Shake your booty on the dance floor and listen to High School The Musical.”
- Another girl asked what she should do about her lazy older brother. Elaina answered: “Tell him to get a job and stop watching Loose Women on the telly.”
- When a woman asked how to get her man back, Elaina told her: “He’s not worth the heartache. Life’s too short to be upset with a boy.”
- And on dumping a fella, Elaina told a listener: “Just hide in someone’s locker or the changing rooms.”