Experience of Press and TV Reporter

7th August 2025 Experiences of a Press and TV Reporter – Philip Braund

At our third visit to The Rutland Arms at Bottesford, we had a good turnout of 33, including partners, Mary B C gave us an update on her welfare duties. President Gail then handed over to Philip for his presentation.

Despite the presence of the projector Philip started talking and just continued, entertaining us with his fascinating experiences, with his talks mainly with WI groups. His first one at Mansfield WI and when he couldn’t find the venue, he approached a lady, who immediately said that “the Weight Watchers group was over there” and so it continued!

He always wanted to be a reporter, from the age of 7 or 8 and so he began at ‘The Spalding Guardian’ as a ‘cub’ reporter covering ‘hatches, matches and dispatches’ under the guidance of news editor Malcolm Scott who taught him the ever-useful statement: “I’m sorry to trouble you, but…..”, which he continued to use throughout his career when approaching a ‘client’. There were forms completed for the deceased, one of which he followed up and the wife said, “he’s still here, but very poorly!” Two days later he gets the call to return and the wife invited him in with “would you like to see his body?”, taking him to the ‘best front room’ in this terraced property. He progressed to the Lincoln Echo, were he developed his shorthand skills and then on to the Nottingham Evening Post under editor Bill Snaith, but ‘strikes’ stalled his progress and he decided to apply for work with the Daily Mail, based in Manchester, which, surprisingly at 23-years-old, he got the job at £6,000 a year. Philip was invited to join the Daily Mirror but – as budgets were tight – the news editor could only offer £11,000 - enabling him to buy his first bright yellow sports car! Some interesting projects appeared including the Yorkshire Ripper, the Miners’ strike (the Orgreave battle, Arthur Scargill), the Hillsborough football tragedy and its 93 victims: harrowing experiences. Then Robert Maxwell bought the Mirror. Philip spoke of Maxwell and his Czechoslovakian upbringing as a Jew and his military career. First covered the football ground fire at Bradford City. Maxwell wanted to help and decided that Phil (called Paul by Maxwell) would man the Bradford Council Press Office, although there were complications with holidays and a mother-in-law. Then, a widower millionaire Sheffield steel magnate remarried unknown to his family. He died and she inherited the money. The Herald of Free Enterprise disaster followed.  He then moved to Carlton Television as a producer of ‘The Cook Report’ where he was first dispatched to Sri Lanka on a project with the Tamil Tigers, then Delhi, where he acquired a special protective stone (that he still has); Malta followed, from where he is now banned, a snippet about Princess Margaret and John Bindon, (a possible future talk!) Nigel Farage and his foxy French mistress, finishing with Chris Huhne and his conviction for driving licence offences.

Gordon gave the Vote of Thanks adding how amazed he was with the range of work covered in his very interesting career, he has certainly seen life with some famous names along the way, the Cook Report, Maxwell, Princess Margaret and Nigel Farage. He thanked Philip for his entertaining presentation and asked members to join him in the usual warm round of applause.                        AR