Clare Teal: A liberating experience and a history lesson in Jersey

Ted’s family were relative newcomers to the Island (1701) whereas his late wife’s descendants were a little more settled, having first moved to Jersey in 1066.

I hadn’t fully appreciated that the Channel Islands were occupied by the Germans for nearly five years during the Second World War. Jersey was finally liberated on May 9, 1945, the day after the rest of Europe. We had been invited to perform at the Liberation Day Music Festival. It was a marvellous occasion and after such a great gig I was reluctant to leave, but we had to catch the last flight back to London, sparing only enough time to stock up on duty-free gin and face cream at the airport

We had to be back early in order to take part in Monday’s Woman’s Hour on Radio 4. As you know many serious issues are discussed on this programme, which was first broadcast on October 7, 1946, and I always feel a bit “wish I’d done better in my A-levels” when I go on.

Tuesday was spent cooped up in a tiny studio booth with a microphone and a pot of pencils, talking in a jolly manner to what felt like every regional radio station in the country promoting the record. Groundhog Day.

By half past three I was so hungry I started eyeing up the raspberry and echinacea herbal infusions. Across the street from the studio on Great Titchfield St is the famed Scandinavian Kitchen.

Oh my – if you are partial to exquisite freshly-made open sandwiches and joyous tasty titbits this is the place for you.

Wednesday I was back at Radio 2 recording my radio shows in Ken Bruce’s studio, I could see Chris Tarrant along the way – he had tellies in his room. I borrowed Bob Harris’s headphones and had just nicely settled when a familiar face came into view – Sir Terry Wogan popped in to say hello with Pudsey the bear. It’s just not like this when we record in Birmingham!