Podcasting: Following in the footsteps of Michael Parkinson

I’ve got a soft spot for Michael Parkinson. For me, he is the crème de la crème of interviewers.

When his show returned from its hiatus in 1998, I was 21 years old, heavily influenced by trend and celebrity and ‘Parky’ offered an abundance of both.

The theme tune trickled in and you relaxed, confident you’d be equally entertained and intrigued as Parky with panache and his soft Yorkshire accent used his skills as an experienced newsman to illicit confidences; Meg Ryan being an exception.

In particular, his interviews with The Big Yin were charming and my curiosity was piqued.

How on earth did he do it?

Twenty years later, I began Holding the Space podcast.

I’m nosy. I want to know what goes on in ‘other folks heeds’ and a conversation seemed a good way to get the ball rolling.

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As a volunteer counsellor, I wanted to use my skills to offer a safe space to those in our community willing to share their view of their world.

As a novice, I got a lot of encouragement and advice from John Murray, K107FM’s chairman, an experienced and popular broadcaster with a talent for making guests feel both comfortable and respected while answering all of his questions, reminding me of Parky with his almost nonchalant approach. No wonder John has interviewed almost everyone.

For my part, I used my counselling skills and asked guests to show me their palm, a non-invasive way of communicating, if they wanted me to change the subject. This worked well.

Before starting an interview, I would always ask if there is a topic they don’t wish to discuss – an approach I adopted when hosting ‘In Conversation’ at Outwith Festival in 2019.

Award-winning Author Kerry Hudson commented, in her two years of being interviewed about ‘Lowborn’ her memoir on childhood poverty, no other interviewer had asked this before.

It seems I’m not the only nosy Scot.

The Terrace Scottish Football Podcast is a twice-weekly podcast on the Scottish Premier Football League filled with interviews, funny banter and stories from the terraces. Book Talk from the Scottish Book Trust combines a delicate combination of interviews with new and established authors on their books and inspiration for writing.

Scottish Watches is as perplexing as it is intriguing with two tech nerds charting the latest watch releases worldwide. Even the Scottish Parliament are getting in on the act and using the podcast medium as part of their communication strategy.

Parky once offered advice to aspiring broadcasters by saying; “do your homework and listen”. He’s right.

For me, more than 100 interviews later it’s all about the magical moment.

The pause when a guest relaxes and reveals their true self. Sharing their stories is a privilege and the greatest gift I can offer my community. I could not have done this without those guests who spoke their truth and trusted me.

I thank you sincerely for Holding the Space.

http://iamlisamay.co.uk/i-am-radio/holding-the-space/