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November 2008
Hi,
First of all, apologies for something of a hiatus in the newsletter No real excuse, but by way of explanation I have been involved with a few extra series in addition to the regular commitments: not that it hasn't been a pleasure, as you'll see. I wouldn't tell just anybody this, (especially my bosses), but there are times when I would almost do this job for nothing! It’s the incredible opportunity it gives you to meet your heroes, and just lately I’ve had far more than my fair share of chances to hero-worship!
For instance, last week I was sitting in the office of Denis Norden, one half with Frank Muir of that brilliant scriptwriting team which created part of the soundtrack of my childhood. And actually sitting at the desk where Muir and Norden wrote scripts for programmes like Take it from Here and My Word! Now well into his eighties, Denis Norden is still as sharp as a tack, and a fund of wonderful anecdotes. I went to see him because in recent years he's developed Age-related Macular Degeneration, the commonest form of eye disease amongst older people; but it’s not dimmed his enthusiasm or his zest for life, and there'll be a chance to hear him being serious and funny by turns over Christmas on In Touch.
But that's only the half of it. Because I’ve also been working on a series, to be broadcast next week, called "Blind man seeks work". I must stress this is not a serious sociological study of the employment prospects of visually impaired people, although goodness knows one of those is needed. No! This is pure self-indulgence! It’s based on the idea of exploring all the jobs which people told me as a blind child: "you can't possibly do that; you're blind". I’ve now taken the chance to go back, as an adult, and ask the experts just how impossible those jobs might be, and how much they do depend on sight. Essentially, it’s a bit of fun; but it also leads to some fascinating insights, such as that vets--one of the jobs I wanted to do--make quite a lot of their diagnoses by smell, and that blindness could be a great cover for international spying.
But what its actually meant is that I've been able to meet a few more heroes: cricketer David Gower, teaching me to bat; Blues-singer Paul Jones, explaining how I might have improved my image when I wanted to be a rock star; and, the ultimate daft job for a blind person, James May of Top Gear fame, teaching me to pilot a plane. So: it’s been a fun month.
One more piece of stop-press news. Our Care Uk series (and boy, doesn't that seem a long time ago, although it was only the beginning of the year), is still picking up accolades: the latest, a highly commended from Radar's "people of the year" awards. So: more congratulations to all involved.
It only remains for me to wish you a very happy Christmas, and Good Listening!
