Articles

HEINE/BROWN

What's it like to interview the Prime Minister? Well, in essence, not much different from interviewing the local lollypop lady. It's all about making people feel at ease, focusing on the key points and getting the best from them.

With Gordon Brown I had only a few minutes to break the ice, make a connection and give him some idea of what to expect, so I chose the direct route: "Prime Minister, when I interview people I like to look them in the eye. I gather you have had a spot of bother with one of yours, so could you tell me which is the good one?" He lit up a bit, smiled, mentioned something about a rugby tackle and pointed to his right eye. We had settled in…

I've interviewed a lot of people who come into the studio with limitations -- 'I'm prepared to discuss only this.' 'Don't ask me about that.' 'I'll give you four minutes and no more.' 'This had better not be confrontational.' 'I'm not prepared to talk to just anyone who calls the station.' The PM quietly sat down and said 'go for anything you want.'

Titles can be important. Some people have insisted that I call them 'Miss' or 'Doctor' or 'Lord' or 'Sir' or 'Reverend'. I usually ask my guests how they want to be addressed. He beat me to it and asked what he should call me. I said 'oh, of course, Bill; and what should I call you?' 'Gordon is fine.'

Most interviews are conducted in a studio with the lights down to create some atmosphere, and it is a one-on-one situation. This took place in the full glare of every light available. The studio was filled with what could be described only as an odd assortment of bodies. The man in my view directly behind the PM was pretty beefy, with steely eyes and a mouth that didn't once flicker into life or smile for the whole half hour, and of course he had impeccably shiny shoes. Then there was was the press secretary from Downing Street, the Managing Editor of BBC Oxford, the stills photographer and more that I couldn't identify. 

Outside in the studio with my usual, lonely production team of Martin, Anna and Henry, there were eight or nine Prime Ministerial press assistants whose job it was to jot down things they thought the PM shouldn’t have said. They tut tutted with raised eyebrows through the interview and scribbled furiously.

But in the eye of this storm it was just the PM and me, circling each other, making eye contact and starting to enjoy the whole thing.

What did you make of it?