Nearly ‘live’ on BBC Radio 4 – Any Q’s. Friday 18th April 2025.

So close…

Pre-show. Sitting in the Community Links centre in Canning Town, when one of the BBC producers moves over to the microphone. (A Welsh guy called Gareth.). He asks: is Jim Clark here? 

(Yes, author’s have non-fancy titles, too.)

I stick my hand up. ‘Here.’

He moves across and informs me, if we use your question later, can we please cut out the part about privatisation? (Dammit. Key component in my eyes.) My Q is about the effects of unfettered privatisation on the workload/well-being of teachers. I'm concerned about empathetic people being governed by algorithms and acturial analysis (ie targets), while trying to impact the lives of children.

I reluctantly agree. He's a good bloke. Savvy. To be fair, he explains that it will make it more pithy for the panel of politicians and peers.

Shortly before the show commences, Gareth re-appears and calls out names from the perky audience who have submitted salient questions, asking those he's called to move closer to the panel chairs at the front. Sandy (my great pal who I’m attending with), is the second name called! I begin to sweat in truth at this point, but before I know it, I’m the seventh and final call. I scrabble around for my glasses, not knowing the protocols of what on earth is about to transpire. I hastily move forward, synapses firing in my brain. And suddenly, there we all are  (the select) – directly in front of the mics – about to go live in front of the nation. It's such an eye-opener into a well-oiled, seamless machine. Then you realise, the first Q - delivered out loud by a nurse - is a kind of trial run for the panel (during the 'actual' news segment). In no time, her question is dealt with... and it's over. Almost incidentally, the news at eight comes and goes - as we all sit there, silently listening (trying not to shuffle, and rehearsing the Q you submitted in your head) - and then it's GO! Straight in. No messing. You’re ‘live’ to 1.5 million listeners and you don’t even really sense the transition... honestly. There are countless, impalpable listeners out there, and you're strangely detached, residing in a mid-sized room with a (largely) well-behaved audience. The nice woman next to me eventually asks her question (No.6), and then, it's yours truly… but they’ve ran out of time. 

What?

Absolutely flew by!

Felt a bit deflated. Nearly there. Guess I was on the subs bench all along. Felt I had such an important Q to ask on behalf of teachers, and many others in the compassion industries…

I was there, folks. Ready to, at least, advocate. Here's the proof. Despite this, a very enjoyable experience.

Here's the link to Friday's show if you fancy a listen (Sandy's is the first Q asked (Bravo to her): https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qgvj