Blast

On Friday, 8 August, BBC Coventry and Warwickshire celebrated the opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing with A Taste of China in the Open Centre.

This event consisted of some drinks, Chinese food, fortune cookies and Chinese dancing.

This was one event I couldn’t miss, if only because I’d heard that Bob Brolly himself would be presenting part of his afternoon show live from the open centre. How could I miss the chance to see him in action outside the studio?

My great mentor, Hannah, pulled some strings to make sure I could be Brolly’s little helper for the day, and got me the highly important position of clock-holder. This involved keeping hold of a clock for Brolly, which is so accurate the crew was talking about how it’s a few seconds out!
So my job was to carry this accurate clock and follow Bob around so he could see it whenever he needed to, in order to ensure that the show is timed correctly.

Me and The Brolly

While the job may sound like a chore to some, it was far from it. Not only did I get to see the master at his finest, but I also got to witness exactly how a live radio show gets aired, complete with all the pressures and possibilities of technical difficulties.

I watched Bob chat to all sorts of people. He started off talking to some Chinese students who were watching the opening ceremony in Beijing on the screens in the Open Centre, before we moved outside. 

After some Chinese children danced for us in Priory Place, as part of the celebrations of the start of the Olympic Games, Brolly took to chatting to them and having a little dance with them.

Everybody Bob talked to was extremely proud and happy to be celebrating the opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing. It was very refreshing to see people of all cultures come together so readily to celebrate one specific one.

While I watched Brolly talk to all sorts of people, including the Deputy Lord Mayor of Coventry, Jack Harrison and some Thai Chi experts, I thought about how today is considered a very lucky day in China as the date stands at 08.08.08.

Well, it happened to be my lucky day too. After all, how many people get to say they worked with Bob Brolly at such a great event?

Bob even said I was so good at my job, he'd like me to do it permanently! But maybe he was just being nice...