Television camera’s were poised and the paparazzi were outside next to the red carpet  on park  lane snapping away like gulls at the harbour waiting for  fishermen to throw  some bait.  Last night I was at  Grovsenor House on Park Lane in London  at a black tie dinner for The Sony Awards.  I’d parked my car in The Hotel garage and walked in the back entrance so missed the silence of the cams at the front. “The  silence of the cams”  is what happens when the photographers have no idea who you are.

I made my way inside and went down the quiet stairs into the bowls of the hotel and through into a vast ballroom.   There were  at least a thousand people sat at about two hundred  tables  with a stage in the centre. Gigantic video screens adorned the walls. Camera’s swirled above.    I saw myself flashed upon the screen for all  of two seconds.  There were thirty seven  awards to be dished out.   Being  nominated for an award, a Sony Award,  is   exciting.

My table was filled with   representatives of the production company.  I sat with my producer Jo Wheeler and next to the executive producer Brian King.   I saw Jarvis Cocker walk into the room and sit  down a few tables away. About a year ago I  travelled to the Arctic with Jarvis on a small   boat alongside artists such as Laurie Anderson and Martha Wainwright and the   like.  We went to experience climate change and I can tell you  climate     change is cold.  The exhibtion which came from that journey begins this month: Unfold

Back to the awards. The radio documentary i’d  made  was called Child Of The State.  After the starter the lights dimmed and  Chris Evans bounced onto the centre stage like  the announcer at a boxing ring “Ladies and Gentlemen” the awards began.

Within minutes –  it seemed minutes –  he announced the  “The Best Feature award”.   There were five documentaries in this category and three awards.   Mine was one of those   five.   “The   Bronze Sony Award goes to…..” and it wasn’t us  “The Silver award goes  to……” and it wasn’t us either.  There was one more award out of three remaining documentaries:  The Gold Sony Award. I had a one in three chance, a one in three chance of winning.