Sir Michael Caine

And here's the results of the 4 minutes, 30 seconds of tape I got from the guy.

It was late by the time I was able to get my 4min 30secs. About 10pm. Sir Mike (as TG and I have been calling him) had already spoken to a radio station (Capital?), the Standard and London TV. LTV had also been filming the whole of the Standard interview. So, what with the large TV camera and all the questions, Sir Mike was already getting a little bored of all the slightly awkward journo attention, I could tell.

I really didn't want LTV to film me talking to him.

Luckily, LTV packed up their camera just before I was introduced to the man, otherwise, I'd've been fairly distracted by the fact that three or four of my colleagues were hanging around watching me, and filming me "work".

In the end, it was fine. Fun, even. Trying to make him laugh a bit, while keeping going with the questions, and hoping he wouldn't get annoyed, or bored. Which is what I suppose it's like talking to most people who are famous.

He talks in soundbites. He almost talks in SEO keywords. One sentence at a time. One word answers, almost. If I asked him for a reason, or to elaborate he'd give me one more sentence, then stop. Nothing extra, noting wasted, nothing superfluous. If he's media trained, it's from a time when 4 minutes 30 seconds is long enough to get exactly what you want out of an interviewee.

It turned out to be one of the quickest, easiest write-ups ever.

On another note, I didn't get a picture with him.

Opinion is divided on the issue: my Mum was extremely disappointed. A couple of people at work were surprised.

JC thinks I did the right thing: "You're either a fan, or you're working, a professional journalist."

I'm glad JC said that. I'd watched the photographers and the guy from the Standard pushing themselves and their cameras this way and that to get a shot with him, and I just felt a bit uncomfortable. I'd already taken a chunk of this guy's evening; why should I get any more? Plus, I was working.