I’ve spent the day meeting the public in the centre of Leicester.
I pulled on a large red BBC East Midlands Today tee shirt and an even larger smile and joined up with my colleagues to meet real people. That may not sound scary to you, but trust me it is.
In general I really enjoy meeting them. Most of them are lovely, but it’s the questions they ask. Because you are on TV people feel as if they know you, and can ask you anything.
Here’s some questions I was asked today, along with my answers. The bits in brackets I only said in my head. And the very last Q and A sequence only happened in my head in the car on the way home.
But these first ones are all real:
Q. What’s your golf handicap
A. Eighteen
Q. How many golf balls have you got?
A. Eighteen. (if in doubt I always say eighteen)
Q. Can I knit you a scarf?
A. No I don’t really wear scarves. (a lie obviously, but I was worried they would come round my house for fittings)
Q. Why aren’t there any pictures of you?
A. Well the postcards are really only for the big name presenters.
Q. Where do you live?
A. London
Q. Where exactly?
A. I’d rather not give my full address.(in case you come round)
Q. Do you have any signed photos of Lucy Kite?
A. Sorry no.
Q. Why not?
A. Because she’s on ITV, We are the BBC, look it says here on my tee shirt.
Q. I never watch ITV
A. Oh OK. (but I think you do)
Q. Do you have any photos of Penny Smith?
A. No, she used to work on ITV too but she doesn’t any more. Have you read my tee shirt by the way?
Q. Are there any pictures of you?
A. I’m sorry no. Can I sign this information leaflet about the programme for you?
Q. Go on then. Who are you by the way?
Q. Why isn’t Sara Blizzard here?
A. Well somebody has to stay back in the studio to present the programme. (Ms Blizzard is our appropriately named weather presenter!)
Q. Can I have a key ring?
A. No sorry we don’t have any.
Q. Why not?
A. We’ve got presenter photos, notepads, pens and if you go round the corner you can try your hand at reading the news and weather.
Q. Do you have a key ring?
A. Yes
Q. Can I have that?
A. No
Q. Why not?
A. Because it has my car keys on it.
Q. Have I seen you on the television?
A. I don’t know, you might have done, I do the sport and the funny And Finally reports.
Q. What have I seen you doing?
A. Well only you would really know. We can’t see out of the screen to see who’s watching.
Q. I know I’ve seen you on TV. What was it?
A. I don’t know. (I refer the honourable gentleman to the answer I gave a short time ago)
Q. Why aren’t there any picture postcards of you?
A. Well what happened was, there was lots of them, but we had a rush of young women who snapped them all up early, so we’ve only got pictures of the ugly presenters left.
Q. What a shame, I really wanted a picture of you. Will you sign this leaflet for me?
A. Of course what’s your name?
Q. David
I’m doing the BBC East Midlands Today roadshow again on Thursday when we are at the Bakewell Show in Derbyshire. Bakewell is famous for it’s tarts, so I’m looking forward to it.
Come and say hello if you are there. I’ll be the one in the large red BBC tee shirt with the large red smile and the slightly scared look in my eye.
Jeremy Nicholas 2nd August 2010 Beeston, near Nottingham. (While Nat and Wayne are watching Corrie.)
