Frank Gardner

I was at Buckingham Palace earlier today for the Investiture, as my Dad was also receiving an honour, and saw Frank on the list. Although I knew he had arrived in his wheel chair, it was tremendous to see him collect his honour from the Queen with only the aid of his zimmer frame. A fantastic honour for, as Her Majesty put it, such a gallant man.

The studio has wheelchair access arrangements - as most studios designed for interviews should be. The One and Ten routinely have in-studio interviews, however the Six doesn't usually have people in the studio for interviews. Reporters present from the big-screen, but they are seldom interviewed in that position. If the Six want to interview a reporter they would do it from the Newsroom.

However the One might decide to interview a reporter from the newsroom on a breaking story, rather than interview them in the studio, as it has a different "grammar"

Frank has appeared on-set on the Ten on quite a number of occasions now, just as he did prior to his attack in Saudi Arabia.

Why don't they normally have guests in the studio for the Six? Is it a simple case of there not being enough space around the desk, or something like that?

Yep - the Six has two presenters, the One and Ten only have one. Whilst it would be possible to put a guest on set on the Six, and have three people on-set it wouldn't be that pretty.

Additionally - the Six has a different "style" to the One and Ten in some things. The One is more likely to do "real people" interviews (though less so than 5 years ago) whilst the Ten is more likely to interview correspondents on set (sometimes with graphics appearing in the screen between them). The Six don't do correspondent interviews in the studio, and instead are more likely to do a reporter-led "big screen" - which the One and Ten have also been known to do, though not so often.

This is the only occasion (that I know of, although I'm sure there haven't been any more) when a correspondent has been interviewed in the studio during the Six. These caps from Friday 1st April this year, the day before the death of Pope John Paul II, Sophie Raworth interviewing Robert Pigott.

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I'm sure there was an occasion during that time when we had four people around the desk. By hell.

Yes - Dateline London for News 24 has come from the BBC One studio before now, and I think that had four people around the desk.

Head-to-Head on Sundays on News 24 comes from the BBC One studio and has three.

And if you look at the one-eyed close-up of Robert you will see a perfect example of why it is avoided! The close-up camera can't get far enough up-stage to get a decent eyeline with someone that far around the desk - hence you get a terrible close-up.

What award was your dad getting?
I seen some of the footage on the news the other day of Frank Gardner getting his OBE. I think it was extremely brave of him to accept his award in such a manner.

He received his Knighthood. It was very moving to see Frank get his award. He showed such great strength and courage.

More News on Frank Gardner BBC News is reporting ....

BBC journalist Frank Gardner, who was shot six times and paralysed from the waist down while filming in Saudi Arabia, is being given a bravery award.
Gardner, OBE, is to receive the McWhirter Foundation award on Wednesday for moral and physical courage.