Today I was filmed for BBC Autumnwatch !

For the last week I have been keeping a big secret, but now I can tell everyone. I am going to be on one of the BBC Autumnwatch Live programmes ! It was filmed today at my house with the main presenter Chris Packham.

One of the Autumnwatch producers emailed me about three weeks ago asking if I wanted to go on and asking me a bit more about my bone collection. Then last week it was decided that it was definitely going to happen. This morning when I woke up I felt really nervous and excited. I was excited because it is exciting to go on TV but I was nervous because it can be difficult and scary getting filmed. Last night I sent a message on Twitter to Chris Packham and he replied and said nice things about my blog so that helped too. 

Dad walked up to school to get me a little bit early. When we walked back the big Autumnwatch Live 4x4 was parked beside my house !

When I went inside I met Chris and the film crew who were all really nice. There was a man called Mark who was the cameraman, a sound recording man whose name I have forgotten and another man called Neil. They had already been in my bedroom to set up some really bright lights for the filming, and they had had a look at my bone collection already.

The first thing they filmed was a bit where Chris knocks on my front door and I answer it and invite him in. It was scary but also fun. I felt a bit silly inside because I'm not used to doing things like that. I had to do it three times to get it right.

After that we went upstairs to my room where we filmed everything else. I had to have a special microphone clipped on and put inside my shirt.

My room wasn't very big so the cameraman had to stand right in the corner, and the sound recordist had to lie under my bed the whole time ! The cameraman was tall and kept banging his head on the Millennium Falcon and Slave 1.

Chris basically just asked me questions about all my bones. We talked about all types of bones, not just animals from this country. I am not going to say all of what we talked about because I want it to be a surprise. Most of the time it was just like normal talking but sometimes we had to do things twice or three times so the cameraman could film it again.

Chris collects skulls too, and he has amazing stories about all the skulls he has found. There was a bit where I saw his hand and saw loads of scars. He has been bitten by a vulture, a python and a lion !

At one point the sound recordist put earphones on me and I could hear Chris talking through his microphone !

It took about an hour and a half to film everything. It didn't seem a long time, even though I was talking for most of it. Chris and all the crew seemed to really like my collection, and I learned lots of new things from him. He is really nice in real life and easy to talk to.

At the end I asked him for a special favour and asked him to sign one of his books for me. HE said yes, of course, and then wrote some really nice things !

The programme is going out on this Friday the 25th November. At the moment it is not sure which of the Autumnwatch programmes I am going to be on. Chris thinks it will be on Autumnwatch Unsprung, which is the chatty programme at 9.30pm, but it might be on the main Autumnwatch Live programme between 8.30pm and 9.30pm. Watch it if you can !

UPDATE: I have written about a mystery bone that Chris brought with him here !

UPDATE 2: It's now definite that my bit will be on Autumnwatch Unsprung on BBC2 at 9.30pm it's been moved to Autumnwatch Live, BBC1, 8.30pm Friday 25th November ! If you miss it you can watch it on iPlayer at this page.

UPDATE 3: You can see my clip at this page now !

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