Other shows

There have been so many shows now since Nick left Television news and he's brought his own individual style to them all. His list of credits is incredible and it's amazing that people are only now realising how prolific he has been.

'The trick is not to do press or magazine interviews. Just let the work speak for itself. I'm not much different on or off screen so people can make up their own minds about me - I think that's changing now. There are so many new programmes coming out I just can't avoid it any longer so people might notice how much I'm on'

So here are a few comments on some of your favourite programmes Nick has appeared on in the past.

CITY HOSPITAL

'This was an amazing show to work on. An hour live every day from a working hospital. We formed a great working relationship with Southampton City Hospital and as long as we bore in mind that we were the least important thing happening there we were fine. I had the honour to watch extraordinary professionals working very hard and occasionally working miracles to make life better or even possible. I found tiptoeing the line between intrusion and beneficial information extraordinarily testing and rewarding. So many brave people allowed us to follow their often heart rending stories because they believed it may help others. I will always remember a girl of fourteen called Victoria Clarke. I would visit her and chat after work. One day she asked if she could be on the programme. This was difficult because she was terminally ill and only had a matter of weeks to live. When I told her it would be difficult she complained it was only because, as she put it, "I'm terminal". Discussions between her family, doctors, palliative carers and the management of Topical TV who made the programme and the BBC were resolved in that we would record the interview and then decide whether we could broadcast it.

It turned out to be simply the most fantastic interview. Victoria was confident beyond her years, funny, incisive and starkly honest. She was resolved in a way most of us could never find peace and I was left feeling sorry that this wonderful girl would not have the chance to flower into a brilliant and beautiful woman - but honoured that I knew her for a short time. She was and is a credit to her parents and people who watched the programme and saw her speak fell in love with her. It was what City Hospital was at its best: letting someone take control and choose to speak about their situation with strength and dignity, because they believed it could effect others - and it did.

SECRETS OF MAGIC

This is the second broadcast pilot. The format, originally studio based with a celebrity panel of judges has been revamped and is entirely on location. The Illusions are bigger and better than before and you still get to find out how they are done - but can you guess before you are told?

'I enjoyed the first one but the format didn't quite work. All the ingredients were there for a great entertainment show but something about it was tripping up. It's now a far better programme. The illusions are amazing, you'll kick yourselves for not guessing how they're done - I did but I'm double jointed. Then you're gob smacked when the guys do the stunt again without any of the tools they've told you they need for the trick!'

There are tricks so easy you'll be using them on your friends, kids can do some of the best ones but the mega illusions are simply stunning!

YOU BE THE JUDGE

This was a live programme on BBC1 involving real cases, real disputes and real Barristers. A one off programme to see what people thought of the format I presented an hour long show in which warring parties had barristers who could call expert witnesses, cross examine and present a case to the jury which was you at home. You were then invited to vote for the cases and the parties had agreed to abide by your decisions.

I enjoyed the show and thought it showed enormous potential. Perhaps in future the format could be used to take on big issues that are in the public arena - two sides presenting the arguments for and against through barristers - The Euro for example!

Anyway, thanks for watching - we all thought the show had potential so I'll let you know if any more are likely.

HOLIDAYMAKER

'This was an interesting programme to be involved with. I was asked, along with camera man and Director Iain May to come up with a pilot for a new ITV travel show. We wanted to shake it all up a bit so only shot what we saw when we arrived, only wrote the script as we filmed and put in more pictures, cut out the long pieces to camera and bunged a film genre reference into each one for good measure. We took tricks from advertising and feature films and I dressed like a pillock. It worked and we got the series which went out to seven million viewers on Sunday evening ITV beating the figures for any other travel show at the time. Saw one of the films the other day and three years on it's still good and it's odd how many tricks we used then are now standard.

FIND A FORTUNE

Nine million viewers every Sunday night on ITV can't be wrong but then I was working with the lovely Carol Vorderman. And can I just say here that she is one of the loveliest people in the industry. Hard working and caring, she's like a sister constantly asking if I'm sleeping enough, eating enough and I think she looks great too! Anyway, interesting show - two series, great fun, move on.

UK's WORST?

BBC1 Undercover filming and reporting, hard factual stuff and back to my news training and journalism. So you can imagine how they felt when I suggested we bung some comedy scenes in for good luck! Anyway, after a bit of to-and-fro-ing we gave it a go and we ended up with a hit. Seven million viewers a week liked it (unheard of in that category) and we saw some amazing sights. Women with cigarette lighters bonding extensions onto hair. Restaurants where they take the remains off a plate and stick it into the next dish and hotels so filthy you could feel the carpet moving under your feet. Two series, done that and move on. Great show.