So apparently I don’t write into the void of nothingness and occasionally more than my mum reads my blog… (I am joking somewhat, I know I have some amazing incredible readers who I love to chat to virtually and in real life).
But I was quite surprised when I got an email the next day from a chap from the BBC asking about the blog post I wrote the other day about being 30 and still living at home with my parents. Apparently some new figures had been released regarding people in their 20’s who couldn’t afford to move out or who had moved out and then had to move back home (“boomerang children”) – it was apparently happening A LOT more than twenty years ago.
I’m not entirely shocked and it does make me feel somewhat better – I’m not the only loser! (I’m joking, I’m joking). So yeah the chap, Theo, asked if my parents and I would be happy to be interviewed about it for BBC South Today, like the next day! I mean, sure I’d love to be on telly for a different reason than my incapability of flying the nest completely but ehhhh it sounded fun.
My dad was unfortunately away in Bradford on business but my mum was off of work because of her arm (she’d sliced a tendon accidentally the other week by a silly picture frame related incident). I told Theo I’d double-check but I was more than certain it’d be fine. My mum would love it.
Well, it turns out my mum was actually getting her hair done the next day and couldn’t possibly rearrange. CAN YOU ACTUALLY BELIEVE IT. Our chance for fame and fortune and she was BUSY. Eventually though I managed to rearrange the interview to be in the afternoon so she would be free. I’d have a half day at work, pick my mum up from the hairdressers and then we’d go home for the interview.
When we arrived at the house they were already there with this GIANT satellite bus thing. What we didn’t realise was on top of the interview segment thing (which would be aired that evening) we were also doing a LIVE bit at 1.30pm as a sort of mini trailer. WHAT.
This was incredibly nerve-wracking I can tell you. What I can also tell you is that three people from the BBC we met were super friendly, accommodating and lovely. The reporter, Anjana, was so nice. She didn’t push us or make us feel uncomfortable. We were very much put at our ease.
We had a few rehearsals before the live bit and then we were ON AIR. Please do not swear. Eeesh it was nerve-wracking. I had the panic moment of my brain going entirely blank but then I was fine. It was literally only a minute a half so it went quickly. My mum didn’t fluff it up either, happy days.
Then we filmed the longer bit. This involved more questions, more interactions and then a walk upstairs to show my bedroom (god how embarrassing) and a bit with our dogs as a kind of “scene setting” context thing.
All in all it was a really fun experience. It was cool to see how these segments are produced and how adaptive and quick thinking these TV people are. How they can come up with how to do an interview and “set the scene” so quickly.
Seeing it back? Mortifying and cringe-worthy. THAT’S what my face looks like? THAT’S what my voice sounds like? God almighty. I could only watch it once and I just felt very uncomfortable. We came across fine I think. Nothing controversial or crazy. Just watching myself speak or “relax” my face into it’s apparent resting bitch face was just an awfully enlightening process. Hey ho, my 5 minutes of fame. I can be grateful that I wasn’t be trolled online I suppose!
Have you ever been on telly?
Have you ever been interviewed?