大象传媒

I suppose as someone who was born only 9 months after the war ended and hearing stories from parents, uncles and aunts, I was bound to develop an interest in the war.

My career brought me into television and during my career, I made a number of programmes about the war. These were ususally quite intensive personal stories, sometimes of courage, sometimes of suffering; but what always struck me was the bravery of those I worked with. I am more interested in the small stories than the big ones. Somehow for me they have a greater impact on my emotions.

I hear people talk about the spirit of the blitz, the spirit of Dunkirk, even the spirit of WW2. If I have learnt anything it is that while 1939 - 1945 was a horrendous period of our history, the people of Britain rallied together to overcome the suffering and deprivation in a way that we had never seen before or will ever again. When I see people panic buying at the petrol pumps or the greedy ways they fill their supermarket trolleys before Christmas, knowing that they will throw half of it away, I think of those people I had the honour to meet and know and I wonder what sort of people we have become.

I like to think that should our nation ever face such dangers again, that we would once again answer its call.