I suppose this is rather more accurately titled ‘It Shouldn’t Happen to a Guest on George Galloway’s Radio Show’. Back in 2010 I was invited to appear on George Galloway’s talkSport show, which I had always enjoyed listening to. You never quite knew what was going to happen and George could fly off the handle at any moment with a caller. It was usually ‘must listen to’ radio. Anyway, I think I was on because it was the twentieth anniversary of Margaret Thatcher’s ousting from office and I was supposed to debate her merits or otherwise with George.

The interview didn’t get off to a good start as he introduced me as a ‘better sort of apologist’ for Margaret Thatcher. I took issue with the word ‘apologist’ as I regarded it as a negative word. It went downhill from there and we ended up having a screaming match. He muted my microphone so he could have monologue, something I realised he was doing and I took him to task for it. He didn’t like it. At all. ’Don’t you tell me how to run my radio show’, he shouted. In the end we both recovered our respective equilibriums and carried on.

But it was a good example of how a presenter can control an exchange by judicious use of the fader. I have to say that I very rarely ever deploy that tactic and if I do I warn my interlocutor that if they don’t stop I’ll do it for them. That usually brings them into line.

Anyway, George hasn’t presented on a mainstream channel since he left talkSport in 2012, but that is about to change. On Saturday on LBC he’s covering for Ken Livingstone and David Mellor from 10am until 1pm, and then all next week he is sitting in for James O’Brien. Sadly I won’t see him as I’m off for two week’s holiday. Shame really, as I could then ask why he blocks me on Twitter. [UPDATE: He’s unblocked me and now follows me. Yay!]

I have interviewed George quite a few times in my time at LBC and I always enjoy it. You know you’re going to give as good as you get. You know you can turn it into whatever you want to. If you want a shouting match, he’ll give you one, but what I have found is that if you play it straight, you may not agree with or like what he says, but you actually get more out of him.

I for one will be tuning in on Saturday morning!