Television and me: whatever it is, the answer’s yes

Being a journalist, sooner or later, you’ll get a call asking if you want to be in a reality show.

One of the occupational hazards of being a journalist these days is that, sooner or later, you’ll get a call asking if you want to be in a reality show. The reason is simple: we’re just about the only people left in the country who are likely to say yes. It is not just that we’re complete publicity whores — we’re hardly alone in that respect — it is also that we have the perfect excuse: we can pretend we’re just doing it for ‘journalistic reasons’.
I don’t think I’ve ever turned down the opportunity to appear on a reality show. Indeed, earlier this year, I agreed to fly to Kenya and take part in a marathon alongside Les Dennis, Michaela Strachan and Ruby Wax. Unfortunately, I had to pull out when I realised it clashed with another reality show I had already agreed to do in a railway arch in Bermondsey.