How BBC1 used me as a free consultant.
I've managed to get my name onto a couple of rolodexes at the BBC as rent-a-gob. A couple of weeks ago, I got a phonecall from the producers of a programme that was going out on BBC1 about assisted suicide in the wake of the ongoing Debbie Purdy hearings and the publicity around Dignitas.

Now, assisted suicide and euthanasia are things on which I've published, and are well within my areas of research interest, so I said I'd be happy to help.
"Great," said the producer. "Would it be OK to have a quick chat with you now to see what sort of position you'd be taking so that we can see how you'd fit into the programme?"
Yeah, sure.

So we chatted for about half an hour about what the law says and what the law ought to say, about Joffe's recent Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill and its shortcomings, about lives not worth living, about voluntary and non-voluntary killing, and so on. It was quite fun.
"That's really interesting," said the producer person. "I think it'd be good to have this sort of perspective on the programme."

Then there was a slight pause.
"There's just one thing," she resumed. "We'll be making the programme in Southampton, and I assume you'd be coming down from Manchester?"
"Yep..."
"Well, you see, that's quite a long way. Can you think of anyone further south who'd be able to take that sort of position instead of you?"

And that is how BBC1 used me as a free consultant. Tightwads.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:04, 5 replies)

That deserves a click
Even if you weren't technically on TV that time. Hilarious!
( Jimbuktu See? Right here, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:07, closed)

So they will pay Jonathon Ross ten million squid to make smutty comments
but they wouldnt pay a train fare for your learned opinion?

Nice to see my licence fee in action.
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:09, closed)

Jonathan Ross
is funnier.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:20, closed)

He makes death much more attractive, too.

( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:38, closed)

that was pretty funny
johnathon ross is a smug self-satisfied diva. If only I hadn't had confirmation from someone I trust that he is a really nice guy in person....
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:53, closed)