Day in the life of a journo: Playing news crews with the big guys

Well yesterday was a memorable day in my journalism career so far. Two days earlier, we had received an email from the print tutor Tim, who were announcing an "exciting opportunity at RAF Waddington". My journo senses twitched slightly. He was secretive on what was happening exactly, but promised it would be worth our while if we attended.

"Stick me down for this Tim", was my immediate reply. Once again the advantage of having blackberries was apparent to me. I wandered next door and spoke to two other tutors who were just as unsure about what was going on about me. All they knew was that it was something big. And I knew it was all I'd ever wanted to cover as a journalism student.

About an hour later I got a reply from my original email, giving me some more information about what was happening:

"The Deputy Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, will visit RAF Waddington, near Lincoln, on Thursday 3rd November 2011, to welcome home and congratulate UK Armed Forces personnel who have successfully completed the UK Air Component's mission in Libya, under the auspices of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973.

The event will be attended by personnel from the RAF, Royal Navy and Army, who have recently returned from flying or supporting missions as part of international efforts in Libya. Your organisation is invited as there will be military assets from your region, here at the facility.

The Deputy Prime Minister will be available for interview".

My mouth dropped slightly. Nick Clegg? Really? My week was getting more hectic - first preparation with the Westborough Baptist Church and now Nick Clegg. Without hesitation I confirmed my place on the trip and set about researching questions.

I was up until 11pm that night researching questions and then I collapsed onto my bed in a heap! The alarm at 6:45 came too quickly the next day. I literally jumped out of bed and got in to the shower - I think I was ready by 8:20 (after tying Jamie Freshwater's tie for him)

So off we went to the airbase. After being escorted to the car park, the first person to say hello to us was from Sky News, and then the rest of the vans rolled in. AFP, BBC National, ITV, Lincs FM, BBC Lincolnshire, The Sun - they were all there. I was petrified, really petrified. This was it - no calls from the newsroom to fluffy cat charities for soft news (as is usually the case for our newsdays), this was the real deal with the big players in the media business...and we were amongst it all.

It was initially quite a bizarre experience. We hung around in the aircraft hangar with the camera crews, then at the exact minute predicted in strode Nick Clegg. Straight over to the podium, delivered his speech and then off to meet troops. It was ridiculously choreographed down to the exact amount of minutes he had to spend with each crew. There was no flinching, the man knew what he was doing and he exerted confidence. He evidently had a good team of advisers.

Everywhere he went inside the hanger the media circus followed him. We were all briefed beforehand "Do not engage with DPM while he is talking to troops, this is his time". So whenever he went from one crew to the next, the cameras circling and photographers all went with him. Eventually he came to the assembled media for his press questioning. He had exactly 18 minutes to talk, which descended into a sort of free for all with various press shouting out questions to him. I was ducked down out of range of the television cameras, until my feet ached too much so I got on my knees onto the concrete runway.

Ow - take it from me, it hurt. Next time I go to an event like this I'm taking knee pads - not only was I kneeling on this, I had my arm raised above my head with the AFP microphone and my microphone in one hand, my Marantz in the other. My heart was racing - a foot away from me was the 2nd most powerful man in the UK, it was quite strange seeing him in the flesh. The other press asked their questions and I bit my lip - eventually I just shouted out mine. He turned, looked down at me (since I was waist level for him) and answered it! I've never felt so nervous, but ultimately proud about questioning a politicial heavyweight before.

The press conference was over after that, I turned to Emma and I couldn't stop grinning. I was there, doing what the national news crews do every day - and I loved it! When can I do it again?