Roles were reversed for BBC presenter Susan Hanks when she was interviewed by students who decided to make their own version of ITV programme The Assembly.
The Assembly sees celebrities interviewed by a group of autistic, neurodivergent and learning disabled interviews and “nothing is off-limits”.
Students at Newfriars College, in Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent, which supports young people with learning difficulties and disabilities, formed a panel that included some keen comedy fans.
They chose Hanks, who was a standup comedian before she became a radio presenter, to tell them about her life.
‘Experience for life’
Julian Moorhead, who brought the idea to fruition, said it was important that students were heard.
“It’s theirs,” he said. “They own it. So it gives them a voice.”
Student experience lead Julie Davies said: “In the past few years, existence of neurodivergence has been more publicised than ever.”
She said the experience would be “vital” for the young people, because it gave them a chance to express their own views and opinions and ask questions that they wanted to know.
She said: “It may just resonate with them and stay with them, hopefully for the rest of their lives.”
Questions the panel came up with focused on Hanks’ childhood ambitions to become a comedian, what it was like to perform and whether she missed it, and her favourite thing about being a radio presenter.
Hanks revealed to her interviewing panel that her favourite thing about presenting on radio was “getting to be nosy, and being allowed to do it, so asking questions”.
She said: “This is what’s weird about today for me, because normally, it’s me asking all the questions and I feel in control.”
“I love chatting to people and it helps me to learn and understand the world better as well.”