First off, make sure you listen to I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue on Radio 4 this evening (6.30). I was at the recording of it last Sunday, and it is a classic. I won’t spoil it for you, but I will say that the guest is Rob Brydon, in his first appearance on the show, and he is fantastic. They recorded about an hour for this 30 minute show, so I can’t imagine what they’ll cut… Next week’s is just as good. If you missed it, you can listen again for seven days.
Monday evening we toddled into Newcastle to watch a recording of Just a Minute. Again, I shan’t spoil it – it won’t be broadcast until ISIHAC has finished – but it was damn good. Paul Merton, Sue Perkins, Tony Hawks and Brian from the Archers really had great fun.
Of course, on Sunday I was at Granada Studios in Manchester, where we were filming our first round match for University Challenge 2006-7. I’m afraid I can tell you very little about it, including who we played and how we did. It won’t be broadcast until the new academic year in September, so you’ll have to wait. I do want to write more about the whole experience – when we film the second round the weekend after next (a ha – can you work out how we did?), I’ll try and take some photos and write about what happens. Jeremy Paxman is a legend.
We’ve only got four more days of this term left. We’re moving out of the house next Monday, after registering for next year (well, technically the year after next, ish) on Thursday or Friday. And then there’s the whole summer to look forward to, until resits at the end of August and starting in Alexandria at the beginning of September.