From "veggin" to OBE

OK, the giddy heights of exploring the production of Songs of Praise for TV South, down in Southampton, is not a promotion prospect for many of us. But this lead to a stint as "their woman in Brighton". And look where she has gone from there ~ other, equally salubrious places, like Ulster, Iraq, Mostar, India, and so on.

"On the numerous occasions when I've been hauled over the BBC carpet (green, frayed and wine-stained until the consultants arrives with tasteful grey), there was always the feeling that, whatever your sins, the BBC would vigorously fend off the critics ~ while pasting you to the floor. Only failing to possess a current TV licence or having sex during transmission of an Act of Worship would see you fed to the lions and dismissed. Not to mention committing a Royal to the hereafter before they'd officially dropped off the perch. Anything else ~ being drunk on air, crashing £45,000 worth of BBC armoured land rover, flying to the wrong country, embarrassing the government, enraging cabinet ministers, falling asleep while live on air to the Today programme ~ was treated as an internal matter, to be dealt with rigorously, while simultaneously mounting a stout public defence of the reasons for your behaviour. I should know; I've done all of these things."

There is a sense that she is very easy around blokes, as there was a lot of old boys' club business in the early years of her career ~ helped no doubt by her dare-we-say unconvential good looks and the miniskirt era. Certainly it comes across that all journalists and reporters like sinking the bar each night after the job is done (if not before), and we presume Adie has got a constitution to match the lads in that to some extent, and Adie appears to be a most amenable one-of-the-lads muckers. Fun, no less, if a little violent when needs must ~ and at times, the need was there, as you'll find out.

We do, though, get a decent history of the changes of tele-journalism over the recent decades to a new, rolling news, nothing-to-say-so-say-what-you-think, style, plus, while in NI, a great internal debate summing up many years pondering what worth pointing a camera at rioters, murderers ~ and their victims ~ might be. Did the BBC's presence foment unlawful and terrorist activity, or just help to alert the world to what was going on anyway?

That behest applies to the whole book, really. It comes down to a brilliant summary of her career. Yes, there is no significant other, nor deep and meaningful look at her childhood, as neither here would be either significant or meaningful. For an exploration of a unique lady in a unique situation most of her life, this tome comes highly recommended.