Friday 26 October 2007

Panorama- Kidnapped: The Alan Johnston Story

Another wild Friday night for me watching this interview, not even on TV, but on the BBC website. Alan Johnston is an incredibly calm, strong and intelligent man. He is to be admired.
He was kidnapped for 114 days with just a plastic chair for company. It was the little details about his story that made it interesting: the fact he was kidnapped with no glasses on, for example; that would be my worst nightmare. But maybe it would be more bearable for such horrific things to be blurry, fuzzy round the edges.
The kidnappers did allow him out of the room occasionally. Hearing he was dead on the radio, seeing his dad appealing for him on TV; watching a football match; what were the chances that he would get the chance to see or hear these things? They must have been life affirming experiences.
The moment when he was released was incredibly moving: just that word 'free' had such resonance. How must he have felt with those cameras flashing in his face, surrounded by guns? What an amazing sight. How wonderful to have some good news for once.
I hope he means it when he says he won't put himself in danger again!
Right. Now I'm gonna go watch Jordan and Peter.

3 comments:

* (asterisk) said...

I haven't seen it yet, but I have it ready and waiting.

Are you enjoying the tattoo comp on P&J? I've not seen it myself.

lightupvirginmary said...

I liked the guy who had a fried egg breakfast tattooed on his head!

* (asterisk) said...

Yeah, but that's a very bad copy of the same idea from at least 10 years ago. I heard he was on there...