6.30am Wake up to my natural alarm clock and the dulcet tones of BBC Radio 5 live. Venture downstairs for coffee and porridge. Check emails, texts, Tweet and Facebook about the coming day with regards to my website, Plumberparts.
7.30am Get washed and dressed ready for a hardcore day of plumbing hell and PHP/HTML code.
But first a trip to BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. They want a little chat about my appearances on Channel 4’s Superscrimpers where I help the nation get over basic plumbing tasks. Having been given coffee I’m ushered into a spacious and highly modern studio. Clips are played of my YouTube videos and the interview goes very well. In a minute it’s all over, then I’m back in the van to my first job.
9.10am First job, change tap washers. I’ve already filmed a video on those, so leave the camera in the van. Easy job. Nice cup of tea (didn’t want sugar though).
10am Second job, change a bath for an old friend. The job is too contorted and difficult to film. Again the camera hides in the van. We talk of old times while working. I’m offered a doughnut. I decline. Black coffee with one, please.
12.30pm Lunch from Abington Shop. Paul sorts me out the usual: wine gums, biltong plus sandwich.
1.30pm Third and final job. Insulate pipes. Now this one I have not filmed. Ask the customer if it’s OK to film the job. Funny looks. I assure him not to worry if he hears me talking to myself “I’m just doing a piece to camera”.
Begin filming. Cars keep passing by and ruining takes. Eventually get what I’m after. Invoice for the job and leave with my footage.
3pm Get home. Stroke my cat George (I call him Big G). Coffee. Up to the office. Tweet about the day. Check YouTube channel “plumberparts” for any questions (I generally get 5-10 questions a day from viewers about plumbing tasks).
Thank viewers for comments and help them out. Begin editing video for latest upload.
Phone goes. It’s BBC Radio 5 live. They’ve heard me on BBC Cambridgeshire. They ask If I’d like to go up to Manchester and be on the Help show (part of Richard Bacon’s afternoon show) at 3.30pm. Stunned, I blurt an agreement – this is something I’ve wanted to do for years.
4pm Dearest girlfriend Emily comes home from work and I tell her the good news. Back upstairs to finish edit.
4.30pm Add article to the website in preparation for the new video upload on YouTube. Check competitors online for certain keywords. Plan my attack for the new page.
5pm Dinner. A culinary feast from my girlfriend.
6pm Go for a run. Only four miles but it’s better than nothing.
6.45pm (Yeah 45 minutes for four miles isn’t great but I’m taking it easy!) Quick shower then check emails, tweet again and answer more questions on YouTube.
8pm In the living room to watch Superscrimpers.
I’m on all the ‘stings’ going to the adverts and have a decent tip in there about changing a tap washer. Follow the programme on twitter to help anyone out and pinch some followers.
9pm Pop down my local The Three Tuns for a quiet pint of ale. Put the world to rights. Brood over poor England cricket performance. Attempt to explain my website and YouTube to the oldest person in the pub. Fail. Smile when people say “I’ve just seen you on TV”.
10pm Go home. Quick cup of tea. Now to upload the film I edited earlier. I always leave them uploading overnight. Log on to YouTube and begin the upload. Adjust the video name and description.
10.30pm Up to bed. Read the latest Max Hastings about World War Two. Fall asleep with the light on.
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