Eccentricity

I joined Yorkshire Television in 1977 as a researcher for Magnus Pyke in the series Don't Ask Me. The first item I set up in the studio was about banana skins – and my life has not changed much since. Magnus did not become a tv star until he was well into his seventies, and although in action he waved his arms prodigiously he was skilled at harbouring his energy. The moment he had finished an item he retired behind a curtain, sank into a deep chair, and fell into a deep sleep until he was needed again. This impressed me enormously, for the tv studio is both noisy and exciting. I usually had difficulty sleeping after the show because of all the adrenalin, but Magnus could ignore that and snooze away contentedly.

I did not consciously take lessons from Magnus, but I did learn that animation and shock tactics can be effective. Sent to research a programme in Houston Texas, I found everyone in cowboy gear, because it was Go Texan Week. So I went into Stelzig’s Western Store and bought cowboy boots, jeans, fancy shirt, and a fine brown Stetson hat. Back in Leeds, my Stetson provoked some surprise, and even a dispute: one of the unions said that it did not show sufficient respect for studio discipline. I promised I would speak to it severely.

After that I resolved never to take myself too seriously, and to wear clothes as colourful as possible. Reprimanded recently by the navy on my footwear, I now often display port and starboard socks – red on the left and green on the right. And I have come to the conclusion that to have both shoes the same colour is a sad waste of opportunity…

Am I eccentric? Certainly not, although sometimes it seems that everyone else in the world is slightly out of step – or maybe eccentricity is endemic in the media. One of my producers, somewhat irascible, had a terrible argument with the station master in Milan. As we finally pulled away he shouted out of the window 'If I ever meet a stupider man than you, I'll write and let you know.' Five years later, after a shouting match with a traffic warden in Bermondsey, he drove furiously off yelling what he seemed to think was a shocking insult: 'The station master in Milan will be glad to hear about you!'

Page last updated: Friday, 22 July 2005 22:35

Radio Times articles, from 2003-2005

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Eccentricity