Thought I oughta tear the curtain down

At some point in early January, as the post-Christmas dearth settled around my neck, I lost a couple of hours inside the BBC website. During my befuddled wanderings I came across the regional councils page, and as fate turned her gaze ever so slightly in my direction, they were recruiting. A few minutes of random thoughts on an electronic application later and I had applied. I then promptly forgot about the whole experience and went about the rest of January with the usual mix of seasonal affected disorder and Victor Meldrew style grumpiness. Then in mid-February I received an email from the BBC informing me that I had been selected to attend a short listed interview at BBC TV centre in Newcastle, in early March. They sent me some stuff to read and a DVD to watch, the interview would be an informal group discussion about the aforementioned DVD. I was also told to watch some regional programs and make my feelings about them known to the group. The DVD was an episode of “Come fly with me”, the series by Walliams and Lucas.

We had a day out in Newcastle, after lunch at Carlisle’s brand new Nando’s. The interview was at 6pm so we had a wander round Eldon Square first. At this point I must complain about Newcastle’s ridiculous one-way system. We drove in circles for twenty minutes around the city centre, passing the train station three times, before stopping and asking a nice police lady. In true Geordie style, instead of telling us where to go she told us to follow her. We followed her back round the city centre before taking a left turn we had missed at least three times, and there was Eldon Square. I didn’t get a chance to thank her as we were in traffic and she drove off, but what nice thing to do.

Eldon Square made a nice change. Tracy bought me a pair of Kurt Geiger shoes, blue suede ones. I was very chuffed. I left Tracy there and made my way the one and half miles to the TV centre for the interview.

As I sat and waited in reception it occurred to me that I didn’t have the foggiest idea what I had written on the application form, I would just have to hope I didn’t get quizzed on my answers. I needn’t have worried, the interview was more like a village hall debating club, everyone was very nice. It passed very quickly and before I knew it I was back at Eldon Square to pick up Tracy.

After a detour around the Gateshead ring road we just made it to Harry Ramsden’s for fish and chips before they closed. We drove home, the car smelling of fish and chips, and listened to Stuart Maconie reviewing the life and times of George Formby. It was a grand day out.

The BBC, being what it is, had told us that it would be a month before we found out which of us had been selected to sit on the council. I’m waiting with baited breath.

The shoes are the most beautiful I have ever seen.