An interviewees nightmare

There was I all togged up and ready to go - staring into the green lights in the BBC studios at Millbank waiting to go live to talk about Labour's five point plan for older people.... only to be asked a question about the draft Mental Health Bill....

Split second decision to try and wing it as it was a subject I've taken an interest in. Just about coped and left the studio to be confronted by a cluster of worried looking people who said, "Err, weren't you supposed to be talking about older people?"

Obviously a case of crossed wires but they were very thankful that I had "gone with it" and hadn't spoiled the flow of the programme. Alls well that ends well but I am not sure whether it would have been quite so easy had I suddenly been challenged to talk about something I am less familiar with.