BBC Somerset - A New Dawn!

It had been some time since my last appearance on BBC Somerset's "Morning Jo Show" and their News Panel. Things have changed since then. The most obvious one being that Jo Phillips has left the station and taken her career off to pastures new. Her replacement could not have been better chosen! It is Emma Britton who was already at the station working as Jo's helper and doing the traffic reports and many other things. Emma is lovely and has proven herself to be a very talented broadcaster. The show set up has been altered as well - it is much more driven by audience participation. So a main topic is chosen to be discussed amongst the three members of the panel, you do still get to choose a story from one of the morning's papers to discuss as a side topic, and people are encouraged to phone, text or email in and join the show.

It gave a whole new feel to the show and was most enjoyable. My fellow panellists were Billy from Clevedon who was a kitchen fitter - great fun and a real laugh; Jayne Summers, a lovely lady from Bridgwater - a rock singer who has just got her own recording contract, and again good company and fun. We got some good feedback from the audience and people joining in, so a good morning was had by all.

And Emma - you were great!

Tomorrow I am off to Dean Close School in Cheltenham.

The BBC Somerset Panel Strikes Again

I almost forgot about this one! Luckily I had a phone call on Friday from Liam O'Leary at the Taunton BBC Office to remind me I was due to appear on Jo Phillips' "Morning Jo" show on BBC Somerset today. Without that I have a nasty feeling this appearance on the show might have slipped my mind altogether.

I drove into Taunton early, but as ever, when you expect bad traffic in Taunton none appears. So I was first of the panel to arrive at the studio today. I was as ever warmly greeted by Emma who had just got back from her holiday in Cornwall.

The other two panel members arrived and, after choosing our stories from the morning papers we were soon ushered into the presence of the delightful Jo Phillips. She looks really good at the moment, her new hairstyle really suits her! My other two panel members were Sue from Southwood and Tracy from Chard. Sue works for the St Margaret's Hospice and Tracy is an author who writes books about recycling and green issues. It was an interesting lively debate and with lots of laughs, particularly at the end. I also got asked to choose the music as the "Panelists Choice" - so, in a show of loyalty that would no doubt have brought a tear to the eye of both Andy Partridge AND Colin Moulding, I chose an XTC track. Namely the wonderful "Stupidly Happy" from the "Wasp Star" album - my son James' favourite song! It was nice to drive away from Taunton with the song being played on the radio - first time I have ever heard it played that way!

I stopped at Ilminster and bought some broom handles to be used as props for my WWII shows, plus I also picked up a flat cap for the character as well from the wonderful Dyers store. I had a quick drink in at Bilby's and said hello to Tris.

I am heading back to Essex on Wednesday and will be appearing at Taversham in Norfolk on Thursday.

St Michael's School, Twerton

It was time for my final school appearance of the academic year and it was to be a brand new school for me - St Michael's in Twerton on the outskirts of Bath. I always forget just how long it takes to get to Bath from here - just over an hour or so, but luckily the traffic wasn't too bad and I made pretty good time. Earlier this month I had visited Paulton Junor near Bath (see this blog passim) and we had enjoyed a really fabulous day at that lovely school. Well the teacher I dealt with there, her other half is head teacher at Twerton, hence how they came to know about me so soon!

Now it may have been a small group today, only about 45 at most, but by God what they lacked in numbers they more than made up for in noise! Back in the 70's Monty Python released various books and in one of them there was a pretend advert for a series of albums called "Records for the Deaf" and it contained such delights as "Lulu Shrieks George Gershwin" and "This is Concorde!" each with however many decibels each album was. Well, if that advert had been for real, they could record the group I had today and THEY could be released as an album for the deaf. The day shot past in a very jolly manner with some fabulously over excited children and some charming teachers and classroom assistants.

After a lovely lunch of chicken pie with oodles of gravy the afternoon was almost a blur. The jousting competition was of some of the highest quality you could want to see with the gents just pipping the ladies in the final. What lovely day!

This has been a fabulous year with visits here there and everywhere. From doing the King's Royal Progress back in August 2007, via Henry's Horrid History at Leeds Castle in October, from frequent chats with Jo Phillips on BBC Somerset and also through Barrington Court and the Ilminster Festival, thanks to everyone who has been involved so far. There is so much more to come.

Paulton Junior - Carmarthen - BBC Somerset

Last Friday, after a dreadfully bad sleep, I was up bright and early for what was to prove to be a long day. The school visit to Paulton, just to the south of Bath and Bristol, was wonderful. Such a superb school! The kids were brilliant, laughing uproariously at most of the gags - one little girl in particular with a booming chuckle was in hysterics for most of the day! The teachers were charming and great fun to be with, and I can honestly say that I haven't enjoyed a school as much as that for a long time. Probably not since the heady days of Ian Gouge at West Pennard - hello Ian! After a belting Joust I was then on my way - but not home. I was heading up to Wales to visit my sister, her husband and my parents who were visiting her for her birthday. We had a really joyous weekend, lots of fun and laughs and probably too much to eat. On the Sunday we had a lovely visit to Laugharne, the home of Dylan Thomas and then had a fine light lunch at the Owl and the Pussycat Restaurant. I drove home at about 6.30pm on the Sunday evening and got back home at about 10pm.

I was up bright and early on the Monday morning as I was off to BBC Somerset for ANOTHER appearance on Jo Phillips' "Morning Jo Show" morning panel. It was great to see Jo again, she was looking as delightful as ever. Emma Britton was missing today, recovering from a Hen Weekend in Bournemouth! It was a great show and one well worth listening to again, which you can do at www.bbc.co.uk/somerset and choose the "Listen Again" feature.

On Thursday this week I am doing some filming for Channel 4 - more info about that on this blog later in the week. Before that I am back for a return visit to Birchfield School in Yeovil on the Wednesday. This is going to be a nice week.

Ilminster Festival and Much Much More!

I know I haven't blogged in a while but I have mitigating circumstances which involve idiocy and Tesco's Broadband, but any more than that my lips are sealed just in case they sue me.

Let me take you back to last Thursday and a getting up at the crack of dawn day. I was off down to Truro Prep School in Cornwall again for a second visit in two years. It is a longish drive but very much worth it. A total delight this school. Fabulous teachers and brilliant kids, and would you believe absolutely everyone dressed to the nines in their Tudor costumes! We even had a fine Hog Roast on the cricket pitch, just as we had two years ago. The weather was gorgeous all day as well which made the trip that much more pleasant.

Friday found me back on BBC Somerset with the gorgeous Jo Phillips on the "Morning Jo Show" broadcasting "live" from Ilminster in preparation for the Ilminster Festival. It was a really fun show to do and seemed to go very well. Please listen again at www.bbc.co.uk/somerset and click on "listen again" and choose the "Morning Jo Show" and "Friday" button! In the evening I was leading the parade for the medieval pageant for the Ilminster Festival itself. We had, apart from me, a fabulous jester called "Jester Trick", loads of kids dressed as fabulous Tudors, a group of men at arms and ladies in waiting from a re-enactment group based in Ilminster, some Morris Men (and women!), a mummers play group and even some Medieval Musicians from the "Daughters of Elvin" group. The parade was great fun, running from the end of Silver Street down to the Market Square where a large stage had been set up, pausing only at The Dolphin Pub so I could have a pint and watch the Morris Men dance, and then briefly outside Bilby's where I "Knighted" Tris Pinkney! Great fun. On the stage I was MC and had great fun bantering with the audience before introducing in turn the Jester, the Mummers, the Musicians and the Jester again, before we were finished just about 9pm. After getting changed I headed to Barrington Court for Matthew Applegate's surprise farewell party for his assistant Simon who was finishing his years placement at the court. Good fun.

Saturday and Sunday I was at Barrington Court doing walkabouts. Saturday was relatively quiet, about 500 people in, but Sunday was packed as there was a Jazz Band on for a Father's Day special. I guess we had about 1,500 through the door. Wonderful! Lots of lovely people to meet and good fun had by all. The weekend finished with me and Matthew Applegate sinking a pint or two at the Duke of York pub in my beloved Shepton Beauchamp.

Today I have driven up to Essex and over the next few days I will be appearing at Thundersley in Southend, Kingsclere in Berkshire and Broadstairs in Kent. Should be fun. And you never know, Tesco Broadband might lose some idiocy and get me re-connected! Hoorah!

St John's Junior School, Highbridge

Do you like this picture? It was the flyers they were using to advertise my weekend at Sudeley Castle. And what clever chaps they were, taking a picture of me at Leeds Castle and then removing the said Castle and slapping a pic of Sudeley behind me instead.

Back to business - I was on my way to Highbridge near Burnham-on-Sea this morning. St John's Junior School had got wind of my work after my fairly recent visit to West Huntspill Junior. After such a fine day at West Huntspill, what would St John's offer me? Well, it was quite a similar day - tremendous fun! A really excellent school, a charming group of teachers and some fabulous children. We had such a fun day, lots of laughs, lots of learning and a really thrilling jousting tournament in the afternoon. One of the biggest laughs of the day came via a correct, but shocking answer from one little chap. As I usually do, when talking about Ann Boleyn, I ask what possible evidence could any of her detractors have offered when they said she was a witch. I always tell the children it is something physical, referring usually to her extra polydactyl finger on her left hand, or the supposed birth mark she had on her neck. Today when asked what made people think she was a witch, one of the year 4's stuck his hand up and said "she had three nipples!" which, strictly speaking is true, but was not what I was expecting from a 9 year-old. I choked and spluttered a bit and at least two of the teachers nearly fell off their chairs laughing. Now that's not something I hear everyday!

Later this week I am off to Truro in Cornwall and then on Friday I am on BBC Somerset again with Jo Phillips in Ilminster during the day and then I am appearing at the Ilminster Festival in the evening. On Saturday and Sunday I am at Barrington Court for a couple of days of walkabouts.

I have also had some nibbles from a TV company called "Whizz Kid", another enquiry from Channel 5 for a possible appearance on another show and even some talk about yet another TV company doing a children's history series. How nice!

BBC Somerset Panel Yet Again

Familiar ground today! Back to BBC Somerset for another appearance on the sainted Jo Phillips' "Morning Jo Show" news panel. Of course it is school holidays week so after having set out ludicrously early to take on Taunton's notorious bottle neck roads, I just sailed through with no school run to contend with and arrived far too early. I was greeted by Anna today who was taking the lovely Emma Britton's place as Emma was slumming it up at the Royal Bath and West Show in a mud encrusted County Showground in Shepton Mallett. After last night's floods I dread to think what the parking was like up there!

I was joined on the panel today by a lovely lady who runs Hestercombe Gardens near Taunton, and another charming lady who writes children's books and who I was on a panel with only a few months ago. It was very nice to see her again. It was great fun as usual and Jo was, as ever, a hugely professional presenter and also charming, witty, friendly and easy on the eye. Always a good combination as far as I am concerned. We had lots of laughs but Jo reckoned I was going to get her in trouble with the authorities after I described the Daily Mail as being "just to the right wing of Genghis Khan" - which is true! You can listen to the show again for the next seven days by going to the BBC Somerset website (www.bbc.co.uk/somerset) and clicking on the listen again option and clicking on Morning Jo Friday tab.

After the show I headed for home and some letter writing and then lunch. After that I headed over to Barrington Court for a brief meeting with Matthew Applegate about future plans. That all went well and soon I was back home and found that dear old Tiscali had cut my phone off. I had to drive out of Clapton to get a signal on my mobile to phone them and find out why. After much shouting and threats they agreed that I had paid and that they would reconnect me AND send me a letter of apology. I got home and the phone still won't work, so I have taken up the cudgels with Ofcom to see if they can zap Tiscali out of a rut. Be warned, if you are thinking of going to Tiscali as a new telephone customer - DON'T!!!!!!

BBC Somerset Bus

Another week and another appearance on Jo Phillips' "Morning Jo Show" panel on BBC Somerset. There were a couple of differences though. Firstly we weren't in the studio in Taunton but on the BBC Broadcast Bus in Market Street in Crewkerne. And secondly, there was no Emma Britton as she is away on holiday and her place was taken by Liam, the bus driver and he did a very passable impression. I was on the show with a couple of ladies, one from Crewkerne Town Council and another lady from Drimpton just up the road from Clapton. It is quite a snug fit inside the studio on the bus, but it was good fun, especially the chat about cows! You will know what I mean if you listen again on line!

After the show I wandered to the bank and then back to Bilby's for a cup of tea where I bumped into Annette, the lady from the Town Council again and we had a nice chat and she invited me to come to Crewkerne in November and turn on the Christmas lights as Henry! I accepted on the spot! Watch this space...

Tomorrow I am back at Blandford Camp in Dorset and it should be a good 'un!

BBC Somerset Panel Again

I had managed to wangle my way back on to the Panel on the BBC Somerset's "Morning Jo" Radio programme today. It was to publicise this coming weekend's "Right Royal Weekend" at Barrington Court. The morning traffic was virtually non-existant for once and so I was a bit early when I arrived at the august portals of BBC Somerset in Park Street, Taunton. I was greeted by the ever lovely Emma Britton and taken up to the waiting area where I could begin sifting through the days newspapers.

I was joined on the panel today by Simon Lomax, a musician and teacher from Somerton and the charming Maggie Mickshik from the Martha Care charity for sick children based in Glastonbury. Jo Phillips was, as ever, a brilliant host and a lovely lady (as the photo here shows!) and the conversation flowed so easily today. If you missed the show and would like to hear it again then go to www.bbc.co.uk/somerset and click on the "Listen Again" tab and choose the "Morning Jo Show" for Friday. I chose as my story from the paper today the horrific news that the new England cricket kit will be without a chunky cable knit sweater. This is the end of an era and enough to make grown men want to throw themselves from the top of Old Father Time at Lord's Cricket Ground. Half the fun of playing cricket is wearing the big baggy sweater that manages to make even the most attractive and dashing of men appear to be Worzel Gummidge's younger brother who has lost interest in scaring crows and has really let himself go.

Right, off to the Doctor's shortly to see if I can get my deaf ear sorted out. Tomorrow and Sunday I am at a waterlogged Barrington Court (if the weather forecast is anything to go by). I shall wear my water proof codpiece.

BBC Somerset Panel

Good Friday! And it was! Up bright and early (well, as bright as I can be when it's early) and off to Taunton for another appearance on the lovely Jo Phillips' "Morning Jo Show" on BBC Somerset. Of course, it being Good Friday there wasn't the usual scrum of rush hour traffic to contest with on my way to the studio and I sailed through for once and got a nice parking space close to the studio in Park Street.

I was greeted by the lovely Emma Britton as usual and shown up to the small kitchen area they use as a "Green Room" and I was left to devour the papers to find a suitable story to talk about. My other co-guests were a lovely lady who does complimentary healing including chakra work (who I had appeared on a panel with once before) and another charming lady called Linda Bond who is a children's author and school teacher in north Somerset. I chose for my story the behaviour of Premiership Footballers and the sort of example they give to young children. I particularly focussed on Ashley Cole of Chelsea and the appalling tackle he dished out to a Spurs player the other night and then swore and mouthed off at the referee as though he was the wronged party. We were also asked for any good news stories that we might have as it was "Good" Friday. It was a fun panel to be on as usual and Jo Phillips and Emma Britton were wonderful hosts as ever. It is always such a pleasure to appear on their show.

I had the rest of the day at leisure, and made full use of it by doing virtually nothing all day beside breathing! Ah, now that's what I call a rest day! I spoke to Matthew Applegate later in the day and chatted more about our plans for some guided tours at Barrington Court that he wants me to host later in the summer, the first coming up on the 6th June (D-Day!).

This coming week I am at Tatworth near Chard on Wednesday and then a return visit to the lovely Coalway Junior in Coleford, Gloucestershire on the Thursday.

I have just re-discovered the picture you see above. It shows me outside Leeds Castle last October during my "Henry's Horrid History" week posing with the lovely Helen Budd, Jean Beaton and "little" Helen. Just thought you might like to see a different pic on the blog for once!

BBC Somerset - The News Panel

Today I had been invited back on to the Morning Jo Show on BBC Somerset and another appearance on the Morning News Panel. I drove into Taunton quite early and arrived in time to begin sifting through the papers prior to going on air. I found a great story about Berwick-upon-Tweed wanting to be back in Scotland again, so I chose that mainly so I could retell my own experiences of visiting this funny little town. I was joined on the panel by two sisters, Hayley and Carly, one a beautician and the other a cabin crew member for Virgin Atlantic. Both stunners, and nice company as well.

Jo Phillips was a great presenter as usual and Emma Britton a superb assistant and travel news updater. We all had some good laughs and it seemed to go particularly well today. If you would like to hear how it went, please go to the www.bbc.co.uk/somerset website and click on "Listen Again" and choose the Morning Jo Show for Wednesday!

I stopped off in Ilminster on the way back and bought a couple of books, then had some lunch in Bilby's and chatted to Tris. This afternoon I did a load of paperwork in the office and made some phone calls. I also received a couple of lovely emails from ladies at the schools in Shoeburyness and Sheppey saying how much everyone had enjoyed the Henry days - which was most gratifying. I shall have to see if we can add those to the "Feedback" pages on the website. Go and see if I have done it yet! www.goodkinghal.co.uk

201 posts and STILL no one is reading it!

What a busy day Thursday was. It began with me leaving home at just before 7.30am to get to Taunton for another appearance on the BBC Somerset Sound "Morning Jo" Show Panel. The traffic into Taunton was some of the worst I had ever experienced and it took me just over an hour to get to the BBC Studios. The other two guests were very nice - one lady a Stress Buster who lives up in Wellington and who is originally from Romford (there's a small world for you folks), and the other a very nice lady who worked for the NSPCC. Jo Phillips was, as ever, a lovely host and Emma, her assistant, was equally nice and very good at making tea! The discussion went really well and you can listen to it again here http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/mainframe.shtml?http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/somerset.shtml and selecting the Thursday button for the Morning Jo Show.

After that I skidaddled home for a few phone calls, letters and emails. Next it was into Crewkerne and Bilby's Cafe to meet Helen Hydes, a Development Co-ordinator for the National Autistic Society's Out of School Clubs. She is my local contact with the group I wish to raise money for with my "End of Winter Party" to be held on March 29th at Clapton Village Hall (more on that on this Blog soon...). The meeting was very productive and she was very helpful - and a very nice lady with it!

Then, after picking James up from School, he, Amanda and I went over to Barrington Court for the annual Barrington Wassail where they were blessing the trees for this years cider apple crop. There was the Babylon Morris Men who I had seen dance before at the Crewkerne Lions Club's Medieval Banquet at Clapton earlier in the summer. There was also the Langport Mummers who did a fantastic Mummers Play - wonderful stuff. I then read the poem my sister sent me (The Gloucestershire Wassail Carol) before we had to leave as poor little James was hugely tired by now. It was a shame to miss the rest of the evening as it was hugely entertaining - and more than a little bit pagan!

Oh and by the way, if you are wondering what the photo above is all about, I took it during my show at the Taunton Westival of my audience during my show at Taunton Castle. Just thought you ought to know!