It's not very often I venture up to the scary North of England because I feel like a fish out of water when I get further up the M1 than Luton.

However, I've arrived up in Leeds for tomorrow's MAG Landmine Experience (makes it sound like an Andy Warhol-esque sixties "happening") and I'm staying at the very chi chi Malmaison hotel. If it wasn't for the strange accents I could almost convince myself I was in London.

I've just been catching up with the day's headlines after being away from a TV, radio or PC all day because of the awards judging.

I've made a point steering clear of getting too bogged down with talking about the Hutton Inquiry because of the obvious conflict of interest issues with me being a member of BBC staff (and because I rather like my job and don't want to be sacked for breach of contract by mouthing off about internal BBC matters.)

However, I think it's fair to say after today's proceedings at the inquiry that this was not the greatest day in the history of BBC News.