Konnie Huq's briefs in the Daily Brief
Every day at the BBC subscribers can get an email called the 'Daily Brief'. It is a great little source of information, with a simple premise of providing a snapshot of useful information about the business to any area that is likely to have to be reactive. I get it because it is useful for the homepage team.
It normally carries details of any known schedule changes from the major network, or details of which shows may be moved or rearranged in the event of, for example, a tennis match over-running. It also warns of any programmes or content liable to raise complaints.
Then it will give a summary of what are the burning issues in the BBC's corporate wide in-boxes - for example there have been n emails about the coverage of the George Best funeral, of which x say there is too much, y say there is too little, and z say it was ruined by the commentary/camera angles/over-loud incidental music/pro-Arab bias/pro-Israeli stance etc etc.
It also rounds up any stories in the morning press about the BBC into snappy one-liners, which is useful in guiding you towards your lunchtime reading material.
The other thing it does is give a summary of the BBC's response to issues that have been raised either by the press or the public, which form the basis of the replies that will be sent out.
So it is very useful, but, frankly, seldom entertaining.
Until my penultimate week at the BBC, when I metaphorically spat my breakfast Corn Flakes over my desk as the first email I habitually read when I get to the office included the immortal line:
BLUE PETER/KONNIE HUQ/UNDERWEAR
Contrary to a story in yesterday's London Evening Standard, Konnie Huq was wearing underpants on BLUE PETER earlier this week!
What a mental image to conjure first thing in the morning at work.
How do you pronounce 'Huq', is it Huck?
I have enjoyed watching you on Blue Peter. Correct me if I'm wrong is it true you know Cambridge very well, as I am living here at the moment and I would deerly love to meet you one day. Do you know the town St Ives well I go there every Saturday and so let's meet up
Take care now
Matthew Baker