I’ve now been presenting my LBC show every weeknight for four weeks. I’m doing this in addition to my normal day job, which is running a publishing company, so you can imagine it’s not an easy schedule to juggle. But I love every minute of it.
Most of the show is phone in based, and I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the calls which come in from the great British public. People imagine that phone in shows are mainly populated by people who want to rant on about immigration or some other controversial subject. Not a bit of it. Some of our best shows have taken calls from women who’ve been through IVF treatments, had abortions, or are struggling to juggle their job and looking after their children. The LBC producers tell me people open up to me because I have a calm, reassuring voice and don't interrupt all the time, so people know they will be able to have their say.
I never ceased to be amazed by the subjects which provoke phone calls from listeners. With an audience of close on half a million you know that whatever subject you’re discussing will touch a nerve with someone. I have to say I love it, and when I took two nights off this week I really missed talking to my audience. And of course when any radio presenter takes time off, there’s always this fear that the person covering for you will turn out to be better than you! And I have to say Mehdi Hasan was excellent. I'd better watch out!
One of the best things about presenting a show in the timeslot I have (7-10pm every weeknight) is that no other radio station is doing politics at that time, although not all the show is political. But the worst thing is that I now have absolutely no social life at all during the week - no dinners, no parties, no receptions, no booklaunches. Between now and Christmas I have only two more nights off - hosting Ann Widdecombe in Clacton on November 29th (!) and one other. Still, at least I have a good excuse not to go to any Christmas parties...
I do realise that the majority of you may well have no interest in my LBC Show, but I know many of you listen from the calls, texts and emails. I talk about it on the blog from time to time because it is now a major part of what I do, and this is, after all, a diary.
* This is an amended version of a piece I wrote for my EDP column today.
Love the show since you've taken over. You are respectful of other peoples' opinions despite not always agreeing with them ! You are one of the few presenters that don't speak over the top of callers....please others take note!! A pleasure to listen to, disagree with and sometimes groan at your right wing views. Still.. you're gentle and funny, so I forgive you !! Finish work at 7pm, so you start my drive home. Great work....keep it up !
ReplyDeletewe need more rants about immigration
ReplyDeletesadly james whale didnt know the basic facts of how the visa system works when he discussed it last, if he knew how it really worked he would be shocked
not everyone who thinks importing half of india on ICT visas is crazy is a nutter, and the reality of this is hardly know in the main stream media
I am a listener in Yorkshire who has to listen on the internet as we don't get DAB in my area. I love the show and find it isn't all London based. It's good to have a semi-political programme on in the evenings. I enjoy your exchanges with Stephen Nolan on Five Live too.
ReplyDeleteI even listen in America at my daughter's where it is the afternoon.
Not quite my thing but pleased that you have got the stamina and if it pleases you that's just fine.
ReplyDeleteBut what in the name of Hades is La Widders doing in that appalling television show? I hear Du Cann is back, is she joining him?
The FCO may have a reputation for representing Johnny Foreigner to HMG instead of projecting HMG to the world (not helped by lunatic budget cuts allowed by wet and nieve F/Sec'ys such as MiliD) and the Vatican is a side issue to what the sodding mussulmen are up to but AW
could have had a last and proper job especially as she has espoused papism. WTF does she think she is doing making a tit of herself on TV? What next? Agony aunt for Dirty Des on C5?
Love the show.
ReplyDeleteAlways tune in to LBC except for the bloke who comes on after Nick Ferrari, and that awful Barnet woman who has gone now, thankfully.
I've listened once or twice on DAB in York and it's fine as long as you are talking politics (I mean I am not interested in the mdecial stuff and whatnot).
ReplyDeleteHowever on a casual look I get the impression that the average volume of comments on your blog posts is down. Could be an indication that your understandably lower level of concentration on the blog means that it's a bit less stimulating for the regulars?