91Èȱ¬

As you are a loyal blog reader I feel honour bound to share with you one of my scariest assignments which will hit the airwaves this coming Monday. Don't let the smile in the picture below fool you. This was the first time in my life I had left a plane without using the steps.

Here's how it all began. I knew something was up when producer Ed and boss Jacqui rather coyly ushered me into the one and only private area of our open plan office. Had I done something wrong and was about to be bent over a knee?

Oh dear me, no. They'd dreamt up a Baldrick-style "cunning plan" to have me illustrate what it's like to overcome fear. In short they asked me a simple question:

"Would I mind jumping out of a plane at 13,000ft?"

After confirming that a parachute would also be provided I attempted a smile and a gulp of air. It felt like one of those military parades where the sergeant major is looking for so-called volunteers. I certainly thought of this as an order to go over the top in every sense of the word.

As you will see the camera crew had absolute faith in my ability to hurtle at breakneck speed towards the ground and land in only one piece. Without Cameraman Steve and Soundman Mike's prayers it might have been a different story.

As a gentleman of a certain age the 91Èȱ¬ wouldn't let me anywhere near a parachute without a medical, which if nothing else proved I do have a pulse and am not yet certifiably brain dead. Mad? Definitely, if this little exercise is anything to go by.

It's not as if you can wimp out. Strapped tandem to a professional parachutist meant I had no say whatsoever when it came to leaving the plane. There really is no going back.

I'd love to know if you've ever faced a fear.... and did you conquer it? Tell me by adding your comment here or email me directly chrisjackson@bbc.co.uk.

So how did I cope?

Denial seemed the best tactic. In the days leading up to the jump I simply blanked out any notion that I was actually going to step out of a plane with clouds still somewhere below me. Once on board the plane there was no option but to believe that when the time came the parachute would open.

After this Monday's show make sure you come back to this blog as I will release the unedited footage. Just watch my face as I prepare to exit the plane and drop like a stone towards Peterlee.

Lipreaders should look away now.

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