Tag Archives: BBC

Bonding with Radcliffe and Maconie over the Farmer’s Boys and the BBC (Rousse)

Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie enjoyed the Fringe so much that they decided to stay on in Edinburgh, at least until Christmas. By now I was their best friend and had persuaded them to help run my seminars. The students … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Elvis Costello and Libby Purves forced to share scant office space at the BBC (Rousse)

MR and I got ahead of the others on a Sunday walk across the Pentland Hills with colleagues. Enthusing over Great British walks, MR declared how he would love to follow the Roman Wall trail from the south of England … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bad behaviour and an F1 fireball kill conversation (Rousse)

The conference launch event was a Victorian-Edwardian music hall concert in the style of BBC’s Good old days show. I thought this a bit OTT for a librarians’ conference, but this was the US, and it did make a change … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Babies, text mining and Any Questions (Rousse)

All the middle-aged married women at the conference looked so much bigger than they did this time last year. Puzzled at first, I eventually worked out that all of them were either about to give birth, or had recently welcomed … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Graeme Garden’s elasticated stockings and a railway car chase (Rousse)

Graeme Garden sat opposite me in the waiting area at BBC Radio 4 reception. He was my host for the day. On the basis of my impressive track record of developing panel games, I’d been summoned to help create three … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Debbie Harry impersonator stars at isolated Yorkshire guest house (Rousse)

The isolated guest house on the North Yorkshire moors was well-known for its strict graduate-only entry policy. I travelled there by car with Belle and a stranger. We couldn’t compete with his credentials as a UCL-based Jane Austen expert with … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rousse’s new best friend is Princess Diana

Princess Diana (my new best friend) and I lounged side-by-side for our girly chat. She permitted me to ask her anything I liked so long as the conversation didn’t descend into tabloid interview. I thought that I was doing OK … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rousse runs and battles nepotism at the BBC

I ran past the Scottish Parliament with old-timers EJ and LG even though neither was a current member of the running club. One no longer lived in Edinburgh and the other was heavily pregnant. ‘Why are you here?” I asked. … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lulu and Morrissey in surprising duet (Belle)

I was attempting to leave the function before the self congratulatory speeches when a global star of flamenco unexpectedly leapt onto the dancefloor. I was delighted until 250 overweight members of the public followed behind her. Then the spotlight illuminated … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rousse discovers a detective and a naughty little girl

The scenario was familiar. I was sitting at the table of yet another dreadful meeting listening to grey-haired men say nothing of substance. When I finally grabbed a fleeting opportunity to speak the Chair nodded wisely, but only for a … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment