After-match analysis
At last I’ve got five minutes to reflect on last night’s antics. When some people say ‘take five minutes to think’ they actually mean a nice hour with a cup of tea, but unhappily thanks to my remarkable current schedule, it is really is five minutes. Still, that’s just about long enough to conclude that it went reasonably well. There were a couple of unforeseen setbacks, like a horrible bit where a microphone made the world’s worst noise for a while, and a not-quite-foreseen one when the public voted for the ending to the show which we had not predicted. But that of course is precisely the fun of doing it live. As you’ll be able to verify if you were there, I squawked and flailed in my usual manner and kept yelping THIS IS LIVE!!!!! as my brain was continually registering that thought. I was slightly less madcap than in the pilot though, and I think overall this went equally well.
The usual (but heartfelt) thanks go to everyone who made the trip to Broadcasting House. It would be a grim experience to do it live with anything less than a very enthusiastic audience. Plus those laughs fill the time. Although once more, it was a case of speeding up rather than trying to pad things out. (Actually, within the space of ten minutes we went from being worryingly behind schedule to worryingly ahead of it, but I’ll spare you the details because my heart is starting to accelerate all over again just remembering it.)
I mean, I guess if we did go short I could always fill the silence with, say, some jokes. That is what my job’s meant to be. But it doesn’t always feel like it when the nation’s Radio 4 listeners are poised by their radios and those bleeps go and it begins. Still, again, it’s for precisely that sort of ‘bloody hell’ moment that you take on a live show.
If you didn’t listen – I can only assume because you were kidnapped, etc – the link is below. I won’t give away any spoilers but WATCH OUT FOR THE GLADIATOR.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b016lgkl/Mark_Watsons_Live_Address_to_the_Nation_Episode_1/
Posted by Megan on November 5, 2011
This was crazy fun stuff. I was having palpitations throughout, but in more of a ‘fun, scary movie’ than ‘actually, I’m having a heart attack, call an ambulance’ way.
Posted by Rachael on November 4, 2011
Im excited to see what you do next week, it is going to take some beating!
Posted by cymruangel on November 4, 2011
Alas I was working. I had to have dinner with someone. (You’d think that would be more of a pleasure than a chore, but believe me, it is not).
I have had a bit of a catch up on iPlayer though – marvellous work. And I very much hope to catch next week live.
Posted by Misha on November 4, 2011
I stayed up to listen through a wine fog, most enjoyable Mr Watson. Well Done.
Posted by amycool on November 4, 2011
I just listened on catch up and found it to be very enjoyable! I laughed audibly on a number of occasions. Hunter must have been confused though.
Posted by Lydia on November 4, 2011
It was so good. I wish I could have been there.
Posted by Katy on November 4, 2011
I said it before but I really enjoyed it. Wish I’d been there but a busy week made it impossible.
If its any consolation, I had a long coversation about Rovers v City with my Bristol friend tonight.
Posted by Cathy (traineeflorist) on November 3, 2011
I enjoyed it immensely, it was definitely worth going to bed at 1.30 a.m. for (with the possible exception of the sight of your white buttock flesh!) Sorry Sarah and I didn’t stay afterwards to say hi, I saw a few people hanging around the entrance door, presumably waiting for you, but I had left my car parked near Sarah’s flat, in an area which she referred on more than one occasion as “dodgy” (or the Canadian equivalent) so I thought I’d better get back to it in case the wheels on it went missing. And because it was very late of course and I had to work today. I intend to go to all six shows, a bit like a Mark marathon I suppose, although I’m not being sponsored for it. Which is fair enough as watching your skills is more enjoyable than ardous x
Posted by Heather Jones on November 3, 2011
I really enjoyed listening at home – and trying to follow the comments/twitter stream at the same time! I think I’ll need to listen to it again on iplayer to absorb it all.
You managed to make use of some of the tweets this time, although still not very many (didn’t really use hardly any in the pilot I seem to remember) – I’d think that source of material would provide you with something extra to draw on (as well as your own jokes) if you did find yourself running short in any future episode. Mind you, I like the idea of getting extra impromptu jokes from Watson’s panicky brain….
Posted by David (man proposing) on November 3, 2011
Really enjoyed it, but my future wife is concerned that us planning to tune into radio 4 every week will make us old
Posted by Jen on November 3, 2011
Really enjoyed listening,just wish I could have been there!Jx
Posted by ChrisP on November 3, 2011
I was there in spirit, it was a really good show can’t wait till next week, I wish I didn’t have work/show wasn’t so late at night so I could make it personally.
Posted by Timmy on November 3, 2011
Thought it was a cracking show and I’m very much looking forward to the rest of series. Also can’t wait to see you in Colchester on Sunday! Keep up the good work!
Posted by Allie on November 3, 2011
Well done, I thought it went very well. I listened to it and followed on Twitter, but it all got a bit too technical for me when I tried to tweet….I’m sooo rubbish on Twitter!!….Any way Well done again, (and also to the Magnificent One for getting a mention x
)
Posted by lisan66 on November 3, 2011
Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Even though BBC don’t let Irish people watch anything online, they do let you listen to the radio
I’m watching Eastenders at the minute though, but then my mam will put on Fair City (and you don’t even want to know what that is. Other Irish people can back me up by saying it’s dreadful!) And I can watch it then 
Posted by Kerri on November 3, 2011
Congratulations on an excellent show, thoroughly enjoyed it, even more so by being there to witness the Hunter escapades. Looking forward to next weeks.
Posted by Melanie on November 3, 2011
Thought you did a top job, well done all!