MI5 ‘on the buses’

Thursday 07/06/07 

Story: MI5 ‘on the buses’

 

My reporter thought it was interesting that MI5, with its reputation of secrecy and vagueness was advertising for a large range of roles openly on the transport networks in London. SIS (MI6) had also recently carried an ad in the Evening Standard newspaper.

Having obtained permission from TFL and the relevant bus operator we had to then find a bus that had the security services ad in it. My producer had been informed that various routes were carrying it but not which buses on those routes. Add to that the fact that the ads were not on the outside of the buses but inside only and it was going to be a search. We went to Streatham garage and were met by  a large and obviously transport dedicated enthusiast who would escort us on our search and could, and often did, real off facts and figures about buses, routes, engines and anything bus related.

 

Many buses later we found one with an MI5 ad in it, in fact it had two of the same ad, one on each deck. I waited at the nearest bus stop and filmed from behind passengers, getting on with them, and proceeding to walk up to the relevant poster. I spent the next few stops of the journey trying to film the posters themselves and their setting on the bus, whilst blatantly lying to passengers that they would not be appearing in shot at all.

 

It was a very wobbly experience with my off the shoulder wibbles being turned into unpredictable wobbles with the buses movements and sudden stops and starts. Urgh.