Radio Cambridgeshire Features

It's day four of the BBC Radio Cambridgeshire Apprentice-style-search-for-a-future-star-type-thing and today we've sent the remaining three victims out on the road with roving reporter Jozef Hall and the BBC Radio Car.

It's a big ask, we know, but today's challenge is to set up in Market Square in the centre of Cambridge and go out and FIND the news.

A big hug-in before the hard graft...

This is an essential skill when it comes to working in radio because sometimes there isn't a convenient story just waiting for you. As Jozef Hall - a reporter with many years' experience explains, "You've got to be prepared to make a story out of nothing".

And today that's exactly what we've given Nicki, Sam and Chelsea. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Breakfast Show presenter and would-be Alan Sugar, Jeremy Sallis, is expecting live reports and interviews from each of the apprentices for his show, and if they can't come up with the goods, the airwaves will go silent. So, no pressure then.

What will our three Radio Broadcasting and Journalism students from Cambridge Regional College come up with, and how well-prepared are they for their first foray into real-life, real, live broadcasting?

Day Four - setting the scene

(Sir) Jeremy Sallis talks to Jozef Hall in the market square and the apprentices tell us what they've learned so far this week:

Preparation is everything...

How well-prepared are the apprentices for today's challenge? Well, Nicki says: "I'm going to get rid of the nerves and show everyone what I've got..."

Is it always that messy in there?

But, it seems that the early start has taken them all a bit by surprise... no one has watched or listened to the news this morning; none of them have read the papers; and none of them has learned the first lesson of outside broadcasts - always dress up warmly!

The apprentices' live interviews

Listen as our three apprentices conduct live interviews on air and see how well you think they've done:

Nicki - Margaret Cliff, the National Country Market Chairman and Markets Adviser for Cambridge, talks to Nicki about how the recession has affected market stall holders.

Sam - David Jacob a veteran stall holder of 30 years talks to Sam about how the proposed congestion charge will affect the stall holders in Cambridge.

Chelsea - 22-year-old Dan talks to Chelsea about the problems of alcohol and late-licensing in the city centre.

The verdict

Listen as (Sir) Sallis and Mr Hall discuss the merits of our apprentices' interviews and draw their conclusion. One of them has to go. There can be only TWO finalists going through to Friday's challenge.

OR cover the rest of the page if you don't want to know the final outcome of today's challenge, because...

"Chelsea - You're FIRED!"

Thursday's challenge

The remaining two apprentices - Sam and Nicki live to fight another day when they'll be expected to turn up at our studios bright and early again, and help Sir Sallis to present the BBC Radio Cambridgeshire breakfast show. That's two whole hours on air with Jeremy - enough to sap the energy of the most experienced of broadcasters.

Good luck, apprentices! There can be ONLY ONE!!

Keep your eyes on this page as we follow the progress of our students throughout the week