Saturday, June 6, 2015

24 Hours in.... Birthday Land - Part 1

It was my birthday this week, it was a big one, and something VERY special happened. Last week I was watching Springwatch Unsprung and tweeted this:


It was favourited by a BBC Radio Suffolk journalist and I didn't think anything more about it until last Saturday when I received a message from the same journalist (Jon Wright) asking me if I'd like tickets for Unsprung on Wednesday.  Would I!!!!

Details of the evening were sent and my excitement levels grew daily!

I asked my neighbour Jill if she'd like to come with me and we left here at 4.45 for the 1.5hr drive across Suffolk to Minsmere.

When we arrived we met up with Radio Suffolk journalists Jon Wright and Etholle George and they recorded the first part of an interview with us.

Jill, Etholle and me

We then had our briefing with the producer and were taken over to the BBC production village to watch some of the main programme as it was being transmitted.


At 8.40 we were led through the woods to the back of the studio where we waited until the main programme ended. As I'd volunteered to contribute a dialect word during Unsprung I was told exactly where I had to stand.  We started to creep into place while they were filming the end of Springwatch as on Wednesdays Unsprung is on BBC2, as opposed to the red button, so there was very little time to get everyone in.

I couldn't believe my luck! I'd ended up right next to Chris Packham, with Robert MacFarlane and Alison Steadman just to my right!


Being in the audience was amazing - the set was fantastically detailed (throw back to my dance career always make me interested in sets and the technicalities of shows) and the camera men and sound engineers moved at such speed.  


All of the guests were really interesting, and as someone who loves language and linguistics I was especially fascinated by Robert MacFarlane.  I was so thrilled to be able to contribute the dialect word for ladybird, a Bishy Barnabee.


After the end credits rolled we all left the set and we met up with Jon and Etholle to record the final part of the interview.  

The interview was broadcast on the breakfast show the next day (1:54:29) but as this link won't last past a month I've put the interview below:


It was a fantastic experience, thanks totally to BBC Radio Suffolk - a birthday to remember!

The actual Unsprung programme is available on BBC player until the beginning of July.

I went back to Minsmere the next day to spend my birthday there, but that's another blog post :-)


11 comments:

Sue in Suffolk said...

Wow fame!
I used to do phone bits on Radio Suffolk very early in the mornings with Mark Murphy when he did the early breakfast programme. I was called Smallholding Sue - long time ago now. Good job it was radio as I was often in my jim jams.
Belated Happy Birthday - your day sounds wonderful.

annie said...

Wow what an amazing experience! And belated Happy birthday :)

Julie said...

Happy belated birthday... sounds like you had a wonderful day :o)

elaine said...

What a great birthday treat - when you see something on the tv you just don't realise what goes on behind the scenes do you. I couldn't hear the interview as the sound was poor. Never mind. That was certainly a birthday to remember.

gilly said...

Woohoo, how exciting! And happy belated birthday too 😊 xx

Frances said...

Su, let me send along belated Happy Birthday wishes to you. What a wonderfully unusual way you found to celebrate a special day!

xo

Anonymous said...

How exciting for you, you didn't look at all nervous, well done!

Gina said...

How absolutely wonderful Su! ... And happy birthday too!

Celia Hart said...

We watched and shouted "there's Su!"
What a great way to mark a big birthday xx

Jo said...

What a treat and such an experience for you. Glad you enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to hearing about your return the following day now. Happy belated birthday.

Anna said...

Ask and you shall receive! How exciting Su and lovely to put a voice to your name :)