What’s it like to chair a live political TV debate?published at 18:27 BST
18:27 BST
Nick Servini
Presenter, BBC Wales Today
Image caption,
Nick Servini will be hosting tonight’s by-election debate in Caerphilly and was rehearsing earlier
On Wednesday night on BBC One Wales there will be an hour of lies, betrayal and machinations.
It will be my job to make sure this is strictly confined to The Celebrity Traitors and not to the Your Voice, Your Vote Caerphilly by-election debate that will be gracing your screens for 60-minutes earlier in the evening.
It could be easier said than done. OK – lies and betrayal may be a bit much, but there may be plenty of old-school political manoeuvring going on.
After all, there is a lot at stake.
I genuinely do not know what to expect: something enlightening or bruising? Civilised or rude? Local or national? Some or all of these things?
No doubt the services provided by Caerphilly council will play their part but with such a national focus, wider issues such as immigration and the cost of living are bound to feature.
The audience will be drawn from a mix of all of the parties.
They have been invited to think about what questions they want to put to the candidates.
My role is to allow proceedings to hit the elusive sweet spot of ensuring everyone has a fair crack, while at the same time allowing as free-flowing a debate as possible.
Believe me, it is not easy when there is pressure to perform on the individuals, and the parties who all know a good result in Caerphilly gives them an early boost as we march towards the spring of 2026.
Let battle commence, or as Claudia Winkleman might say: “Players welcome, here there is no special treatment.”