Thursday February 28th 2019

Well that's it. My final ever Tweet of the Day recording. And significantly the final ever programme I'll make as a producer. This is the script for Welsh poet and playwright Gillian Clarke who I wanted to get onto the series after a colleague interviewed her. Her choice of species were Red Kite and Grey Heron. At 2pm I sat in Cubicle 2 thinking well this is it, my years of making programmes has finally come to an end (as far as I know). From April I'll be a full time production co-ordinator.  

I'll not miss programme making at all, as it has become a very stressful and chaotic process. The fun and more worryingly, the creativity of the role, squeezed out of the production process by budgetary cuts. But I will miss meeting and chatting to very interesting people from all walks of life. That's he best part of the jobs for me, meeting people. Discussing views, challenging preconceptions, all while making a radio programme. To be honest I'm not a good programme maker. I'm competent, but have no flair for it. It never really clicked with me, except when making Living Worlds on location. And that was more to do with being in areas of the natural landscape, with brilliant contributors, bringing the best of natural history to the listener. And although I've enjoyed the other aspects of my work, producing and being part of radio output, it really does feel like I need a change, move on and enjoy life more. I'm not sure what that change may be but it's time for the young ambitious producers to take over. When I began in the BBC in my late 20's those colleagues then in their mid 50's like the lovely Mike Kendall, would say to me "this is a young persons game - few of us get beyond 50 intact". And I believe that to be true. I'm not old, but boy do I feel my age sometimes as waves of exhaustion drift over me while editing or trying to keep on top of the run-a-way ever reinventing itself schedule we all work to now. The world of radio is now going through such a fundamental change, I no longer have the energy or drive to keep up. No regrets at all. I feel privileged to have made over 300 programmes as a producer. Not everyone gets such an opportunity. But it's definitely time for producer Andrew to put the comfy slippers on.