Live webchat with Radio 2 DJ Simon Mayo, Monday 27th February 1 - 2pm

[RachelMumsnet]

Simon Mayo will be joining us next Monday (27th Feb) for a live webchat. Best known as host of Radio 2 Drivetime, Simon has been broadcasting with the BBC since the early 80s, including a stint as host of Radio 1 Breakfast show.

Simon's debut children's book ITCH is described as 'a fast-paced thriller starring an accidental school boy hero called Itch whose hobby of collecting all the elements in the periodic table gets him into some seriously explosive situations'.

If you have a question for Simon, join us next Monday or send in your question in advance to this thread.

Simon - I love your Radio 2 show but always have to switch off when Liza Tarbuck is covering your holidays. Please don't have holidays or find someone else to cover!

My question is how worried are you about Harry going to manage England and if he does, who do you think we should get for Spurs instead?

Hi Simon, I've listened to you on Radio 1, 5 live and now on Radio 2 and just wanted to say I have always enjoyed your shows.

I just listened to you breaking the news of the attacks on 9/11 and was struck by how professional you sounded amidst such a shocking event, I am sure you've been asked this before but I was wondering how you managed to stay so calm?

Can I have a P please, Simon?

Simon,

Can you give me any advice on writing my own children's book i.e. how did you go about developing the story and characters in your book? Did you perhaps use the good old Story Arc method?

Do you think its time your colleague Steve Wright called it a day?

Simon, I was wondering if you are a dadsnetter?honorary mumsnetter?-- MumsNetter and as such have ever perused MumsNet (other than just for the purposes of this interview!) and what you thought of it...

In particular, I wondered (assuming you have had a little look) what you thought of the AIBU topic and if you had ever considered doing an AIBU bit on your show, along the lines of the Confessions bit (which is usually the highlight of my drive to nursery to pick up ds2 so please don't get rid of it).

(Or does MumsNet hold copyright on AIBU?)

Arghh. Should have previewed

Was supposed to say dadsnetter? honorary mumsnetter? at the start of my post.

Hope MNHQ are looking after you and providing plenty of , and ! (an observation rather than a question!)

Hi Simon

What is your all time favourite record to play and why? I ask as a complete music geek with 10,000 vinyl and umpteen CDs and tapes in the house.

Hi Simon

I'm a huge fan of you as a broadcaster, in particular the 5Live show which kept me in some semblance of sanity during maternity leave and which I still miss.

The range of topics covered on the 5Live show was breathtaking, so my question is: how did you manage to sound knowledgeable about such a wide variety of subjects, from quantum physics and dark matter to 800 page novels? Is this high bluffing skill or genuine interest? Either way is impressive, if the latter then do you fancy the In Our Time slot in the future?!

Thank you for so many memorable radio moments, such as others have said the 9/11 bombings, also for me the announcement of John Peel's death which was obviously personally distressing for you but which you handled admirably.

Simon, given that you are such a terrific interviewer do you not feel your talents are slightly wasted now on R2? I know remaining in London was important to you, but please tell us that your skills will be put to good use.

This sounds more rude than it was supposed to! Like many others you have been a quiet presence in my life for decades and I am always impressed by your ability to combine dignity with a sense of humour.

Love your film review show Simon, also love Mark.
But sometimes don't you just want him to use 1 word rather than 24000??

I love listening to you and Mark Kermode - you have great 'on air' chemistry. Do you get on as well in real life?

Hi Simon, another fan here, as is my daughter.
She is a huge confessions fan and was really excited about reading your book.

What we'd really like to ask though..Is there any chance you could take over the breakfast show as well?

Would Itch be suitable for a 10 year old who struggles a bit with reading and looses interest quite quickly, or is it aimed at more able readers / older children?

Also would you play 'Wild Horses' for all mumsnetters on your All Request Friday show please. I thought it would be quite appropriate "Wild Horses couldn't drag me awaaaaaay"

Hello to Simon Mayo!

What were you favourite books to read to your kids, and did they coincide with their favourite books to hear? I would love to read Winnie the Pooh and Beatrix Potter to my two boys, but all they want is trucks and trains!

Hi Simon,

I would like to ask about the art of writing. Where did you learn to write well and what help / feedback did you get along the way as you wrote "Itch"? Is it the first fiction writing you have tried, or have you written short stories or attempted novel writing previously?

I can't wait to read Itch and I think that science-based fiction that will encourage boys to read is really important. Keep up the writing!

Ben Portus

Hello to Simon, hello to Jason Isaacs.

As Simon has joined us, I feel it should be taken as read that any Am I Being Unreasonable threads on cinema behaviour should be decided according to the Wittertainment code of conduct.

Hi Simon, I'm another who misses you on the Five Live afternoon show - it will always have a special place in my heart as it was such a part of my life when I was on maternity leave and my children were of pre-school age - a joy to listen to intelligent interviews on the radio which helped me to create an illusion for myself that I was still somehow still in touch with the wider world... I do still listen to Richard Bacon in that slot, but it's not the same - and I also miss him in his previous late-night slot - I am a creature of habit and I wish you would all go back to your previous shows, however I realise that the new lot of Drive Time listeners would probably not appreciate that...

So, my questions are, do you have any plans to do more interview-based shows? A future presenter of Desert Island Discs maybe? Would you and Mark to a TV film review programme?

Also, I'm looking forward to Itch - I still read aloud to my nearly 10year old at bedtime - do you think Itch is works for 'read aloud' material, or is it better suited for him to read it independently? Have you read it aloud to anyone?

Thank you.

Long-time listener like so many here - big fan and delighted the confessions are still going strong.

Is it true that you played The Las "There She Goes" just after announcing the resignation of Ms Thatcher?

I love the drivetime show for its eclectic mix. OK, so it doesn't have an allotment, but it does have a book club, a chef, confessions (which I love!)..... and, oh yes. Dr Mosh in his various contributory guises and interjecting...... is he a little....highly strung? Do you sometimes want to tether him to his chair or something? The question really is does the team as a whole always work as you would like it to or do you sometimes end a show thinking things went a little random or seemed disjointed? Does that result in any 'backstage' talkings to or do you consider a show very much iver and behind you as soon as it is finished?

OVER and behind you sigh Sorry about that - typo gremlins

Another fan of you here .... have been listening to you on radio for years and years. Myself and DH especially like your show with Mark Kermode - absolutely brilliant!

Have started reading your book Itch and it is very good, can I ask what gave you the idea/inspiration for writing a book? My son is almost 10 and he wants to read it after me, could you see yourself reading this as a teenager?

Are you a secretly a science geek?

Hi Simon , I like to listen to you on the radio in the kitchen while I make the dinner , I love the confessions ( particularly the one about the large baby with the thunder thighs , the naked miner and the Prince ... )

Also , can you ask Chris Evans to calm down , he's too loud in the morning and I have to put radio 4 on unless he's on holiday

Hi Simon,

I'm very excited to see you are going to be on mumsnet; I podcast your film review show every week to listen to while I cook at the weekend, and the while family knows not to attempt to speak to me whilst it's on as it is 'Mummy's Treat'.

I also loved your 5Live afternoon show and was distraught (I'm only slightly exaggerating) when you we're leaving as I thought no one would be able to replace you (I've now got used to Richard Bacon and like him but he's not as good as you). You managed to be so well informed and do such insightful intelligent interviews everyday on such a wide range of topics, it was always good listening.

You can do the light-hearted stuff on radio 2, but your wasted there a bit imvho, and should do some more serious stuff.

I don't have my own question but would like to second policywonks questions about feminism and how you'd define yourself. You and Mark often both seem to view films with a feminist view point, particularly films with role models for girls and young women.

Lastly, if you have a nice time on mumsnet could you suggest to Mark he comes on here for a webchat about film? I'd love that and I think he'd like mumsnet!!