So last week I got an email from Joe, a researcher from BAFTA nominated lunchtime TV show Steph’s Packed Lunch. He’d seen the news article in the Cambridge Independent and wondered if I’d be interested in featuring on the popular Channel 4 daytime show. Ummm….yeah! We sorted out the arrangements and sorted out that Monday would be the day to travel up to Leeds.
This made me a little nervous – the Porsche had only driven about 40 miles total in the last 5 years! Leeds would mean a round trip of 300 miles, around 6 hours of driving. The fact I’d be on live TV was also a little nerve-wracking too to be honest.
Monday arrived after a restless night, where I didn’t get a lot of sleep, too busy thinking about what I might say in my 3-4 minutes with host Steph McGovern. I’d put the Porsche on trickle charge overnight to make sure there were no issues starting up, although I think I woke the neighbours as I turned the key and the 2.5 litre engine roared into action. I had everything crossed, saying a little prayer as I pulled away that the car would make it to Leeds. I had images of doing the interview from the hard shoulder of the A1.
I settled down into the drive and the car ate up the miles on the empty early morning roads. The low rumble of the exhaust and odd rattle of the rear hatch accompanying me for the next 3 hours, with the odd interruption from the satnav. I stopped at Grantham services for some fuel, noticing that the fuel gauge hadn’t moved a lot; seems like even with a full tank the needle pointed at 3/4, something I might need to investigate! As I had a stretch I chatted to a man in the car park about the car; it does draw attention now it is covered in rally livery. Onwards to Leeds, and the car coped brilliantly with the rest of the A1, arriving earlier than needed! I made my way to the car park in Leeds Dock and called the number they’d given me.
The runner from Steph’s Packed Lunch met me outside the Holiday Inn next to the car park, and took me in so that I could get a coffee – as I walked in Denise Van Outen was walking out; I restrained myself and didn’t say “Hi”. After a coffee I was greeted by Joe, who let me fetch the Porsche and guided me through the security gates to the dock so that I could park the car right outside the studio. The crew all came out to greet me and take a look at the car, with lots of comments on how good it looked. The director and camera guys came out and got me to position the car, then I went about setting up the roof tent. This was a quick job, and only the third time its been up, just shows how good and easy to use these tents are.
At 10:30 we did a quick camera run through so the crew could set up positions and put markers on the floor. Then it was off to the Holiday Inn again and waiting until rehearsal. By this point I was just thinking about what I needed to say. I knew there were going to be some basic questions, what am I doing, why am I doing it etc. But this is live TV after all, who knows what can happen. The runner came to fetch me and I got miced-up, stood on my marker and waited. Just a few minutes later Steph was outside, speaking to the other folks who had come, also raising money for charity. I was the last of the three, and soon she was walking over, smiling and admiring the car. First question: tell us about what you’re doing for charity Stephen? I gave the summary that I’d been practicing in my head for the past 12 hours. The conversation moved to the history of the car……bought it off eBay etc…. then Steph said she’d ask a few more questions there and could we look inside the car? Sure thing! My hand was shaking as I pulled the key out and tried to put it in the lock, third time lucky and the door swung open. Then Steph was away talking to camera, smoothly linking on to the next topic. I think by that point I was more terrified as it now seemed like the live part would just be made up on the spot!
I was sent back to the Holiday Inn to wait for my live slot at 1:30pm. Time for another coffee and try not to run through all the possible questions that Steph could ask on Live TV. It came around so quick, and before I know it I’m standing on the same spot hearing the show go on around me. I get a thumbs up from the camera director and give him the thumbs up back, all good.
From that point on I was winging it and can’t really remember what I said, but told Steph what I was doing with this challenge, why it was so important to me and what the challenges would be. She asked to look inside (as rehearsed) and then out of the blue asked to sit in the car, go for it! That’s got to make the value of the car go up right?!
After that I was relieved it was all over! Just keeping my fingers crossed that people would be able to donate some money for Arthur Rank Hospice.
I needed to wait until the end of the show to pack up the tent and make my way home, so waited backstage and then got to go to the green room to see the end of the show. The drive back home was just as good as the drive up, no issues with the Porsche at all! Overall it was a brilliant test of the car, and as a bonus got to be on Live TV for 4 minutes. Will I do it again? Who knows!
WILD SPIRIT 