This morning’s partial eclipse of the sun, visible over most of Europe, coincided with the BBC’s StarGazing Live event. I’ve been doing odds and sods for BBC Radio Newcastle for about a year - usually talking about events in the sky or trying to plug our late, much lamented astronomical society, Luna - and the idea of an event on Sunderland Sea Front came up at the back end of last year via Hannah Bayman, Look North’s Weather Girl.
Hannah took the idea to her managers and, this morning, a number of us found ourselves installed on Cliff Park near Seaburn to watch the eclipse, except that the weather had other ideas - a solid wall of cloud between us and the mysteries of space.
Live TV doesn’t depend on the weather and so the planned interviews went ahead as scheduled. Graham Darke, Chairman of Sunderland Astronomical Society, went first, shortly followed by fellow SAS committee member, Paul Meade. I was last up, fumbled my words and kept talking when I wasn’t supposed to. Two or three takes and Hannah gave up. I was a lost cause. Or so I thought.
Jules’ texted me at dinnertime to let me know that we’d both been on national TV, she gazing wishfully into space, looking for inspiration, me in a ‘blink and you’ll miss him’ soundbite. This broadcast went out on BBC News 24 every hour for the rest of the day.
Later on, Look North featured more of my interview, skilfully edited to remove my obvious fluffs.
I was glad that I wore the full length Parker jacket, buttoned up right to the neck. It hid the fact that my face and neck are still swollen from my recent surgery though, vain bugger that I am, my nose looks almost normal. I was a bit concerned that it would put people off their tea - ‘Mum, there’s a nose talking on the telly… Can I switch it off?’
Meanwhile, the dog is busting for a leak and so I don the same scruffy Parker jacket and escort said pooch up the road. The neighbours are loitering across the road and, straight away, the comments start. “He’s a star…”
Just two questions remain. Was that my fifteen minutes? Can I have another go?
One thought also comes to mind. Was that small earthquake detected in the region of Red House Farm the sound of a foot going through a TV screen? I do hope so. :)
- January 4
- , 2011
