Robert Orchard says life as a BBC parliamentary correspondent combines his two main interests: politics and theatre, and offers a front-row seat at many of the most dramatic parliamentary events of recent years.

Most of Robert's career has been in broadcasting, but he's also worked in print and, most recently, online journalism: he was invited to edit BBC News Online's general election coverage in 2001.

Robert has been an environment correspondent and spent several years as a network political correspondent for BBC News during the eventful final years of Margaret Thatcher's time in power. He also worked in Brussels and Strasbourg, setting up a new post of Europe reporter for BBC regions.

Memorable stories he's covered over the years range from the Brighton Bomb to the Heysel Stadium disaster in Brussels, the ousting of Margaret Thatcher, and the election of Tony Blair.

Robert's early career was spent on the Western Mail newspaper and BBC Wales in Cardiff.

Before that, he dimly recalls writing and directing student revues with Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis, and getting laughed off the stage at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Away from parliament, Robert now runs a small pro-am theatre company specialising in open air productions, which reflects his irrational optimism.