My live SKY News interview about the Diamond Jubilee Concert!

Funniest screen grab ever!? (Read the bottom: Rachel Hosie after being attacked...)

As if I wasn't excited enough to be going to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace last Monday, my day shaped up to be even better than I'd expected when I was contacted by a producer at SKY News two days earlier. She had seen my blogs and tweets about how much I was looking forward to the concert, got in touch on Twitter (ah, the power of social media) and asked me if I would like to be interviewed about it live from SKY studios. Of course I would!

Originally, I'd been told my interview would be at 7.10am which was not an ideal scenario but obvs I was still super up for it, but then it got changed to 9.40am which thankfully meant that all my family and friends had no excuse not to be literally up for it.

As a student who is extremely interested in broadcast journalism, I could barely sleep the night beforehand. It felt almost like Christmas Eve... but more nerve-racking. What if I said something stupid? Or couldn't say anything at all!? And despite setting three alarms I was terrified I wouldn't wake up for some reason. Needless to say I was awake long before the alarms went off.

It was fab treatment all the way - SKY sent a car to pick me up and take me to the studios, which was very nice indeed. When I got there I was offered a cup of tea or coffee and shown straight into hair and make-up (silly old me had been panicking trying to decide what lipstick to wear all for nothing!) The make-up artists were lovely, chatting away while beautifying me. They made sure not to overdo it so that I still looked like me by asking about my usual look and my opinion, whilst also using their expertise to do what was necessary for television. An extra plus was that I then had my hair and make-up professionally done for the picnic and concert later that day. Result.

Getting my make-up done

Post-beautifying

Before my interview, I was given a little tour of the studios. It's so slick, I must say. The producing suite is ridiculously technologically snazzy and the main set looked great too. Conveniently for the Jubilee, everything is red and blue. I hadn't realised but they don't actually have any camera people - it's all remote controlled and the prompters actually are the cameras too. Although I noticed during my interview that the presenters don't strictly follow the scripts anyway. After my mini tour it was off to the green room for a few minutes to wait for my call. There was an elderly somewhat esteemed man waiting there too. He was very calm unlike the nervous ball of excitement that was yours truly. He told me that he was retired now but had been the press secretary for the royal family, and had done tons of TV interviews and presenting. He probably thought I was ridiculous - these sorts of things obviously aren't a big deal to someone so experienced.

UPDATE: This is somewhat embarrassing. I knew I recognised him from somewhere, but I found out after my interview that said esteemed man was in fact Dickie Arbiter, the former press secretary of Her Majesty the Queen! Major wow factor. Had I known at the time I probably would have asked him all sorts of questions, so I suppose it was probably for the best that I didn't know it was him.

A few minutes later, it was time. Dun dun DUN! This was it. I sat down on the sofa next to Stephen Dixon and the other presenters (who were all so relaxed while VTs were being shown), I was mic-ed up and waited as I tried not to look round in awe at everything going on. Must not look at the cameras. Stephen (along with everyone I met at SKY) was delightfully friendly and lovely, helping me relax a bit. After what seemed like the longest interview with Cliff Richard ever, it was go time.

My interview may only have been a few minutes long, but I absolutely loved it! I stuttered over the first thing I said, trying to say three different things at once, but I like to think that I relaxed into it after a while. I think I was just getting into my stride at the end! Sure, I probably said "excited" a few too many times, but my friends said that it was better to be bubbly and enthusiastic than monotonous and uncommunicative. The whole thing was such a rush and brilliant fun. I want to do it again!

Me and Stephen Dixon

I've had such lovely comments from my friends and family who watched it (obviously, seeing as they are just that: friends and family), but it was also really nice to be tweeted by someone I didn't know afterwards (asking about my dress too!) and I was even recognised by a fellow Concert ticket holder at the picnic at Buckingham Palace later that day.

It was an experience I'll never forget, and hopefully not my last TV appearance.