Outside broadcasts
Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at 11:38 To listen to my brief appearance on the Jeremy Vine show on Radio 2 yesterday, click on the image below.
Or here.
The item begins at 32:30 and includes an interview with Don Bryden, MD of the recruitment company that is offering non-smokers an additional four days’ holiday a year to ‘compensate’ them for the time smokers are allegedly away from their desks on fag breaks.
I understand the idea began as office banter so Bryden must be pinching himself at all the free publicity. In the interviews I have seen and heard he certainly seems to be enjoying the attention. Likewise his staff - even the smokers. They all seem to think it's a great wheeze.
The Jeremy Vine interview took place while I was en route to record another interview for Channel 5 News at the ITN studios in London. Appropriately, perhaps, they were both conducted with me standing outside, sheltering from the wind and rain.
For Radio 2 I had to speak to Vine on my mobile on the periphery of Kings Cross station. It took me a while to find somewhere where there wasn’t too much noise from train announcements or passing traffic.
When I eventually found a quiet corner and was about to go on air I found myself competing with a station cleaner and his trolley, a man conducting a loud conversation on his own phone, and a couple of smokers looking for somewhere to have a quick cigarette.
Having survived their unwelcome presence, I arrived early at ITN and was invited to make use of their splendid new cafe called Healthy & Happy. Ironically this was a theme Don Bryden kept pushing to justify his firm’s new policy.
When the time came to be interviewed however I was naturally dispatched outside where it was blowing a mini gale. At one point we had to stop filming while a huge lorry reversed behind us.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is the exciting and glamorous world I inhabit.
Anyway, I shall be back in London today to do another interview on the subject, this time for Sky News. Fingers crossed, I'll be in a nice warm studio.
Update: For the Sky News interview I was indeed in a studio, albeit one that was no larger than a broom cupboard.
It was also so cold they apologised in advance!
Reader Comments (1)
Being pushed around would make me very unhappy and the worry about being discriminated against would make me very unhealthy.
What kind of brain dead moron equates not smoking to all that is required for happiness and good health? Why has bullying become the fashion trend of the 21st century?
I hope Mr Publicity seeker gets more than be bargained for with this stunt including the loss of clients who are anti bullying and pro equality.
As for the sickly virtue signalling cafe name at ITV 🤮🤮🤮🤮 I'm much happier finding a greasy spoon full English breakfast in a more inclusive cafe that doesn't sneer at less than perfect human specimens and makes at least some effort to make all paying customers comfortable even in the face of such a spiteful law as the blanket smoking ban designed by snobs for snobs. 🤮🤮🤮🤮