Late night....

Back on the old late shift this week. It feels like old times.

I did the late shift in Leeds for five years, and by the end I was really fed up of it. In fact I think I was depressed, though didn't go to the doctor.

As you know, if you've been reading the blog, I've been working in Manchester since January 2006 doing a variety of shifts. It's enabled me to find my social life again, catch up with friends, and even meet my girlfriend Susan.

There's something about the late shift though, the empty office, the bizarre phone calls from listeners, dealing with breaking news stories. You are left to get on with it, there's no pressure and can work at your own pace. As long as the news bulletins are read and are up to date and have prepared some news for the important breakfast show, it can, SOMETIMES, be relaxing.

And the fact I'm not doing the late shift every night makes it that much better.

A busy couple of weeks coming up with trips to sunny Blackpool and Dublin... I'll tell you more about those later....

Finally, congratulations to my friend Paul Smith, who has just been made Programme Controller at Century Radio in the North East! Fab!

In the hot seat

I've been put in the News Editors hot seat for the past couple of days.

I like being News Editor, but I do miss reading the bulletins. We had a couple of big stories this past couple of weeks too.

The first was a 15 year old boy pleading guilty to the murder of an 11 year Bury schoolboy. The death of Joe Geeling was one of the first big stories I covered when I came to Manchester.

The other big story was the funeral of the murdered Moss Side teenager Jesse James. He was shot dead in September. Two thousand people came to his remembrance service.

In other developments.....

I've been told there's chance I might have to go back to BBC Radio Leeds for a couple of months so I am waiting to hear about that.

And hello to Susan.....

Hello to all the Steve Saul's

If your name is Steve Saul and you're reading this, hello!

I've had an email this week from Steve Saul in Birmingham, he runs a pub quiz business and has a wife and two children.

Steve told me that he's also found another Steve Saul who is a doctor in Atlanta.

So in true Dave Gorman style (he's a comedian who travelled around the world to meet other Dave Gorman's) - I thought it would be good to hear from other Steve Saul's in the world.

So if your name is Steve Saul get in touch with me steve@stevesaul.co.uk

London Calling....

This is London.

Been off work for a couple of days and have just returned from a tip to `the big smoke` - An impromptu trip to see a friend down there.

I also took the chance to have a nosey around BBC Television Centre. A colleague showed me round the newsroom and studios, I even got the chance to go into the main news studio where Huw Edwards et al present the main bulletins! Very showbiz.

Whilst in London I called into the British Library, they have a great exhibition about newspapers and are showing some of the famous headlines from throughout the decades. From Elvis dead through the JFK shooting to the London 7/7 attacks, it really was very interesting.