PAUL WILENIUS

APPEARANCE

A sort of northern Richard Branson, once described by John Major's press secretary as a political Godzilla

EDUCATION

From South Shields Grammar to Wadham College, Oxford

FIRST JOB..THEN..

Durham Advertiser. Joined the BBC as a reporter for 'On The Record' after six years as Political Editor of the 'Today' newspaper

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH

David Puttnam

MOST EXOTIC LOCATION FOR FILMING

Inside the Sizewell B nuclear power station

MOTTO

Do not listen to the spin doctors

FUNNIEST POLITICAL MOMENT

Accidentally joining the Euro-sceptics because I was standing between Teresa Gorman and Tony Marlowe when John Redwood launched his leadership challenge in 1995. I made every front page

MOST ENJOYABLE JOURNALISTIC MOMENT

Ordering around Fleet St editors and proprietors when shooting a film on the Tory press

BIGGEST SCOOP

Forecasting the resignation of Mrs Thatcher, the night before she did it

USUAL PIECE TO CAMERA LOCATION

Behind bars

LIFE'S AMBITION

To direct a film as good as 'Citizen Kane'

DREAM INTERVIEW (ALIVE OR DEAD)

Mozart

SPECIALIST IN

Political Gossip

HISTORICAL EVENT YOU WOULD MOST LIKE TO HAVE COVERED

The American Civil War

PAOLA BUONADONNA

APPEARANCE

Naughty but nice

EDUCATION

Classics at an Italian Secondary School, then degree in Politics and Sociology at Edinburgh University

FIRST JOB...THEN..

I started on the arts pages of the (recently defunct) European newspaper. They sent me to Brussels where I started doing bits and pieces for the Beeb. My first proper broadcasting job was reporting for BBC1's (now defunct) E-Files programme. I joined On The Record in 1998....

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH

Sue Perkins; one half of comedy partnership Mel & Sue, presenters of Late Lunch

MOST EXOTIC LOCATION FOR FILMING

The inner chamber of an ionic radiation plant, with a bar of cobalt glowing in a bluish light at the bottom of the pool

FUNNIEST POLITICAL MOMENT

Shouting a piece-to-camera comparing Gerhard Schroder to Tony Blair in the middle of a German election campaign rally, whilst thousands of baffled supporters looked on

MOST ENJOYABLE JOURNALISTIC MOMENT

Seeing newspapers repeat our coverage of a European story days after we've gone on air

MOST LIKELY TO SAY

This is just the rough script

LEAST LIKELY TO SAY

It's all a federalist plot

BIGGEST SCOOP

Early leak of the European Parliament's report into BSE. No, I can't remember what the report actually said, but the boss was pleased

USUAL PIECE TO CAMERA LOCATION

Holding a curiously shaped turnip in the middle of a field somewhere, and uttering the line "If Europe gets its way this vegetable will become illegal!"

SPECIALIST IN

European Affairs

HISTORICAL EVENT YOU WOULD MOST LIKE TO HAVE COVERED

I would love to have been around during the time of Jesus Christ. The only competition would have been four hacks who filed conflicting reports of the events several years later.....

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TERRY DIGNAN

DAVID GROSSMAN

APPEARANCE

Every other Sunday - it's playing havoc with my Saturday nights.

EDUCATION

St Albans School & University of East Anglia.

FIRST JOB..THEN..

Reporter and presenter on BBC Radio Solent, Reporter BBC South Today, Political Correspondent BBC North West.

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH

Lots of detail.

WORST POLITICAL MOMENT

Being hauled off by Special Branch in Southampton during the 1992 General Election campaign for throwing an egg at the then Prime Minister, John Major. Was let go after they got the real culprit.

MOST EXOTIC LOCATION FOR FILMING

Beach in Perth, Western Australia. Reporting on Surf Rage (not for On The Record !)

BEST POLITICAL MOMENT

Getting "Named and Shamed" by Home Secretary in commons for a report on Police Reform Bill. Did reputation as fearless journalist no end of good.

LAW I WOULD MOST LIKE TO SEE REPEALED

Second Law of Thermodynamics. It basically means that the level of disorder is constantly rising and that the universe is ultimately doomed. This is just the sort of badly thought out legislation that gives parliament a bad name. Lobby your MP - help get this law changed before it's too late.

DREAM INTERVIEW

Chaucer (would probably need subtitles)

AWARDS

None as yet, but received a letter this morning saying that I may already be a winner in the Reader's Digest prize draw, so fingers crossed.

LEAST LIKELY TO SAY

"let's work through lunch"

MOST LIKELY TO SAY

"let's lunch through work"

IAIN WATSON

APPEARANCE

Rarely before noon.

EDUCATION

Comprehensive.

FIRST JOB..THEN..

Westminster Editor of Scotland's Sunday Herald; political producer, BBC Newsnight.

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH

Sean Connery (well, he is Scottish...)

MOST EXOTIC LOCATION FOR FILMING

Amidst understandably touchy gun-toting staff in the Pentagon, post September 11th. Believe it or not, due to a mix up, I gained entry without a pass - it wasn't too long before I was challenged, although not before I'd been to the door of Donald Rumsfeld's office.

MOTTO

Subtitles not required.

FUNNIEST MOMENT

Driving through Belfast when a riot broke out; my passenger - an eminent BBC reporter who knew the area well - said 'You can't turn left, that area will be ablaze! You can't go straight on, I can see they're already throwing petrol bombs! And you can't go right!' 'Why?' 'Because there's a sign saying it's no right turn' I'm afraid I disgracefully cast aside the Highway Code.

MOST ENJOYABLE JOURNALISTIC MOMENT

Finishing a film for On The Record.

BIGGEST SCOOP

Revealing that British troops not only refused to eject Russian soldiers from Pristina airport during the Kosovo conflict but actually sustained them there, providing them with food and water, apparently in contravention of NATO orders.

USUAL PIECE TO CAMERA LOCATION

Somewhere that's simultaneously rainy and windy.

LIFE'S AMBITION

Has passed me by.

DREAM INTERVIEW (ALIVE OR DEAD)

John Lennon.

SPECIALIST IN

Pop trivia.

HISTORICAL EVENT YOU WOULD MOST LIKE TO HAVE COVERED

The Soviet invasion of Berlin, 1945.