BBC’s Amol Rajan reveals ‘full-on panic attack’ night before Today programme debut

While everyone gets few first day nerves when they take on a new job, BBC’s Amol Rajan has revealed he had a ‘full-on panic attack’ the night before making his Today debut.

Ahead of his first day on Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday, Rajan revealed the extent of his nerves the night before, which forced him to down a few late-night glasses of rum and download a sleep app.

Rajan, the BBC’s media editor, said he managed only an hour’s sleep before arriving for his first shift on the flagship show at the sobering hour of 3.45am, as he thanked his wife and colleagues for helping him get through and make it to the mic.

He tweeted alongside an early-morning shot of him in the Beeb’s studio: ’10pm last night I had a full-on panic attack. Worked myself up into a frenzy, catastrophising about first shift on @BBCr4today.

‘Had 3 massive rums and a bit else. Got 1hr kip, in at 3.45 (below). Survived.

‘Thank you so much for all the niceness and constructive criticism…’

He added thanks to fellow host Justin Webb and ‘the whole team for looking after me’, as well as special thanks to his wife ‘who sorted me out’.

Rajan also noted: ‘In the depths of my self-inflicted horror last night I downloaded various apps to help with sleep,’ however, it wasn’t the best idea as he went on: ‘And the act of downloading them intensified the doom spilling through my head.’

Webb responded to his colleague’s messge on Twitter, joking: ‘3 rums. Imagine how good Amol will be when sober.’

Rajan, who recently finished as presenter of Radio 4’s The Media Show, will now host the flagship breakfast programme with Webb, Mishal Husain, Martha Kearney and Nick Robinson.

His first show saw him interview Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng and the owner of a Bolton cafeteria reopening thanks to the easing of lockdown restrictions.

While continuing as the corporation’s media editor, Rajan will also present a new interview series for BBC Two and a two-part royal documentary.

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