QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Part Four: What Was Your First Permanent Job?

I’ll always remember my first working day at the BBC in London W1A.

Radio mic and headphones.Presenter and interviewer in studio with radio microphones on the desk in front of them.

I stepped into the BBC Radio office at 1 Portland Place, W1A, opposite Broadcasting House (to be known forever as BH).

By the end of that day, I had experienced my First BBC Crisis.

I was working for one of the producers in a department the BBC lost years ago – BBC Schools Radio.

At that time, they used reel to reel tape machines in studio, and portable Uhers for ‘voxpop’ interviews on location, and they edited by cutting tape with razor blades.

My producer sat me in his office and told me to listen to his latest programme as it went out over the air, gave me the stopwatch so I could time music, links, drama and copyright material as if I was in studio, and then he disappeared off somewhere else.

I sat there mesmerised, listening, just getting used to the uniqueness of my situation, letting the presenter’s voice roll on, when suddenly the door burst open & the secretary from the programme office next door came in & said in a thrilled voice, ‘I hear you have an unedited repeat going out over the air!’

I stared at her nonplussed and then she vanished, and a few seconds later the Chief Assistant, Schools Radio, rushed in, and said to me in a confidential tone of voice, ‘I’m going to pretend I care, but I don’t really.’

He then also vanished.

I tried to look as if I knew what was going on, but next my producer entered, and said dramatically, ‘Now everybody knows I’m not God.’

Finally, he too disappeared leaving me alone in the office, stunned.

All I needed then was for somebody to walk in and say, ‘Welcome to the BBC.’

I wrote a daily journal throughout my years at the BBC and have many hilarious and quirky stories to tell.

Once when we were recording in one of the BBC music studios at Maida Vale I saw a notice stuck up in the control room where I sat.

It said, ‘Beware! Naked Razor Blades Are Dangerous!’

Underneath one of the studio managers had scrawled, ‘So are people with ideas.’

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Hello! My name’s Sheila and I write under the pen name of SC Skillman. I live in Warwick with my husband and son, and my daughter currently lives and works in Australia.

I was born and brought up in Orpington, Kent, and have loved writing most of my life. I studied English Literature at Lancaster University, and my first permanent job was as a production secretary with the BBC. Later I lived for nearly five years in Australia before returning to live and work in the UK. 

My output includes mystery fiction, and historical and paranormal nonfiction. Each of my nonfiction books is illustrated by 100 original full colour photos, mostly taken by myself, and others by my son and daughter (both talented photographers!)

In March 2023 I was the Nonfiction Adjudicator at the Scottish Association of Writers Annual Conference in Glasgow. I’m a member of the Society of Authors and the Association of Christian Writers.

My nonfiction books on Warwickshire are published by Amberley and include Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire and A-Z of Warwick. I’m now researching a fourth book for Amberley: Paranormal Gloucestershire. I also have a new contemporary fantasy novel in progress, called Director’s Cut.

In addition to my published books, I blog weekly on scskillman.com about books and films I love, people and places of inspiration, life, spirituality, history and travel.

I’m also a public speaker and have spoken to many groups and organisations about Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire, the quirky tales of Warwick, the art of writing nonfiction, and the power of story. Do get in touch with me if you’d like a speaker for your group!