Only ask questions that you really want to know the answer to. It's obvious when a chat-show host is only in it for his or her own exposure. Hollywood stars can be uneasy at the beginning. But I have found that if you lean forward and look directly at them, they come around. It's like tomcats stalking each other. You size each other up and then get the measure of each other. I want to give the viewer an engaging watch. That's why I threw
John McCririck off the show (
The Alan Titchmarsh Show (2007)) recently - he was being rude and unpleasant to another guest. As often as not, the guest won't reveal a huge secret but I want to hold them for examination, to gain a fresh or different insight. You want to be engaged and enlightened. You know that when you ask: "And what of the future?" there's nothing more to be asked. Also, if you are a fan of the guest, do not be sycophantic.
Tony Benn and
Alan Bennett are wonderful guests - they know that the key to being a guest is not to play the "You're lucky to have me" card, but rather just to be entertaining and informed, to tell us something new.
