Ask Ian McCaskill transcript
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| This event took place Thursday 27th February 2003 |
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Ian McCaskill
The legendary BBC weather-man, most recently seen exploring some of the UK's mystical myths and weird goings-on for BBC ONE's The Morning Show, joined us on the phone to take your questions about life, the weather and everything...
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Question from Katie: I really enjoy your slot on The Morning Show, what has been your
own personal highlight from the show?
Ian McCaskill: It was a freezing day on a Derbyshire moor, 1200 metres up, -5 Celsius
and no lighting because the man got lost on the way from Manchester. The cameraman nearly
got frostbite, and we didn't see any flying saucers. But we did look!
Question from MadStu: Did you actually see any of the strange things you were
investigating?
Ian McCaskill: I'm very sorry to say I didn't. I would like to have done, and I did
look hard. I was open to it but it didn't happen. I'm sorry about that!
Question from Zimmerframe: Why do strange happenings only seemingly happen at night, or
do they also happen during daylight hours?
Ian McCaskill: I think they must happen during daylight hours, but the world is a
creepier place in the dark. Perhaps we're more sensitive to strange spirits then. But I'm
not sensitive enough to ever have any brushing past the face or anything. I'm very sad that
it hasn't happened.
Question from Tanya: Hi Ian, I wondered if you could tell me how you got into the
weather? What made you so interested in it?
Ian McCaskill: Hi Tanya. I'm old enough to have spent my younger years in the
airforce, doing national service, and I got into it that way. I'm probably the last
traditional weather man in the world, because I'm pre-computer and pre-satellite!
Question from Natasha: When you were a young boy did you ever expect to end up doing the
fabulous things you do now?
Ian McCaskill: Hi Natasha... no, I wanted to be a schoolteacher, but my parents
couldn't send me to university to fulfil my real ambition, to be a doctor. I was called up
for national service.
Question from SupaKev: Ian, have you made any "bloomers" such as Michael Fish's failure
to predict the 1987 hurricane?
Ian McCaskill: I've made them on a daily basis for the past 40 years! Nothing as
spectacular as Michael's hurricane! He thought his career was over, but he discovered there
is no such thing as bad publicity... there is only publicity!
Question from Mike: How did you enjoy appearing on 'Celebrity fit club'? Have you
continued to exercise since?
Ian McCaskill: I'm not doing enough exercise... you're making me feel guilty! I'm
eating healthily, though, and not drinking too much! It was a good experience. We should all
get a chance at that! I haven't kept in contact with them but they were all lovely people,
including Rik Waller, he was a lovely person too.
Question from Joelene: Hi Ian, are you aware you have an internet fan site and they
have spent hours doing anagrams of your name. Do you use the internet much yourself? Are you
flattered you have such a following?
Ian McCaskill: I do use the internet a lot, to keep in touch with my kids. I didn't
know we had a website up and running... anagrams? That sounds very sad!
Question from bill: What's the most unbelievable account that a witness has provided?
Ian McCaskill: I had trouble believing in yetis, I'm afraid. Paranormal radiation
driven apparitions too, I found that hard to accept. I believed everything else!
Question from Janet: You went from weatherman to a television personality, was this
something that just emerged or was it a conscious effort?
Ian McCaskill: I'm desperate to retire, but nobody's letting me! But I'm pleased to
do lovely little programmes like this, and I'll do them as long as I can. Thank you!
Question from Sunnyside: In the US people chase tornadoes, it looks pretty dangerous
to me. Is this something you would of been interested in pursuing?
Ian McCaskill: It's very hard in Britain, we get plenty of tornadoes but they're
little beggars and vanish after a mile or so. We couldn't do them in this country, though,
we'd have to do them in the Midwest.
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