Went in to do Jeremy Vine’s Radio 2 show as normal. The big difference, Tony Blair was doing the hour before me. Sadly, they ran long with the PM and he took 30 minutes of my MoneySaving time (anyone’d think there was an election on or something!).
So I crossed Mr. Blair in the corridor and nodded hello. I was pleased to see he wears more fake tan than me (well… when you’re on the telly, don’t ask me about being told i needed to ‘dye my eyelashes!)
When I sat down the chair was warm, obviously provided by the PM’s bottom heat – some people would pay for that (though I’m not one of them, so shifted uncomfortably).
Onto the programme, which was titled ‘What’s the cheapest?’ As I scribbled down my notes it occurred to me I hadn’t brought paper in with me and my scribbled on top of TB’s page.
So I looked at his notes. Like me he writes down details of the caller and their name so you don’t forget during a phone in. His said
3 year old,
11 year old
school failing
curriculum issues.
Having listened before this was obviously from a discussion of a parent who’d called in. She’d complained bitterly about the fact her child had been rejected from three schools. Blair’d been on the back rope and the points scored were heavy.
Sadly there was nothing salacious in his notes. No scandal! I did for a moment entertain a huge temptation to mimic his handwriting and write in the word ‘bitch’ afterwards, then flog the paper to the Sun.
I’m not that brave though, so good manners meant in the end I took the paper home clean with both my and his notes on it, having got Jeremy and the producer to verify it and it now hangs on the wall in the office. A nice memento!
