Panellists:
Mark Nelson
Ria Lina
Elaine Malcolmson
Stuart McPherson
The audience question for today's show was: "What is the biggest mistake you've ever made in your life?"
This isn't my biggest, but it's certainly my most recent.
Let me explain...
I received two texts congratulating me on my successful application to this show, along with another date, advising me to look out for emails with the tickets attached.
Time passes.
Then, yesterday, I realised those emails never arrived.
No problem. I'll contact them.
Searches for email application confirmation to find the contact info. I can't find that email either.
I check the BBC Tours and Shows website for advice. "Contact us via our X account or the BBC Questions webpage."
I no longer have X, having deactivated my account after old Elon's Nazi salute.
I follow the link to the BBC Questions page. How can I ask a question about a BBC programme or service?
Try checking to see if it is answered on a dedicated programme page BBC - Programmes - A to Z.
I check. There is no contact tab on the Breaking the News webpage. What to do now?
I stress out. I message comedian Ria Lina, hoping she can put me in touch with someone on the production team. She doesn't reply, not surprisingly, so I message her again, apologising for messaging her in the first place.
I jump through hoops to open a new X account, only to discover that there is no direct messaging service available on any of the BBC's X accounts, at least not for my new, unverified profile. I post a polite comment on their page asking for advice about my situation.
Eventually, after spending an eternity reading various FAQ posts on the BBC Website, I find the direct phone number for BBC Tours and Shows.
The first call tells me to try again later.
The second call tells me to try again later.
The third asks me if I want to participate in a short survey to provide feedback about the service. I resist the urge to press 1 and opt for 'no'. Then, I'm put through to an Irish lassie. She was brilliant and didn't make me feel stupid at all. I did that all by myself.
It turned out that I had mistyped my email address; hence, no email response and no tickets. She assures me that the production team will resend the ticket emails, but also provides me with my ticket numbers, just in case.
A few hours later, I receive the ticket emails. Sorted.
I messaged Ria again to let her know. She might have been worried.
No reply.
I don't think she's blocked me yet.
Despite all of this, I really enjoyed the recording. It was a lovely day, the hottest of the year so far (how many more times will we repeat that phrase this year?). As usual, the funniest bits won't make it air.
Ticket Price: Free, but the stress probably cost me a few months of my life.
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| Before the show |
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| After the show - Stuart's already away |
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