This week JLA director Jeremy Lee and our office appeared on primetime BBC for the second time in two years (Check out BBC 2’s Funny Business from 2013 too.). In this Friday’s The One Show, the episode focused on great motivational speakers, particularly Winston Churchill, as Boris Johnson (brother of JLA’s Leo Johnson) was in the studio to promote his new biography of the great orator.
Host Chris Evans (who has also done a number of gigs for JLA) said “overcoming adversity is often a sign of greatness and Churchill was no exception, having to cope with nerves and a lisp, yet still becoming recognized the world over as one of the great public speakers.”
Although Jeremy is seriously old, he wasn’t around to book Winston in the early days of JLA, but he is obviously considered one of the UK’s authorities on what makes successful motivational speakers, in order to be asked to appear on the show.
Presenter Margherita Taylor introduced a segment showcasing budding school age motivational speakers who stood on soapboxes in Spitalfields market attempting to attract the attention of passers by. She began, “Jeremy Lee runs one of the biggest agencies for public speakers“ and went on to ask him “what makes a great public speaker?” With the ravioli on his tie only barely perceptible, he replied, “It’s an ability to engage with your audience, look into their eyes, make them follow you on some kind of journey, inspire them. If you can, make them laugh. It’s an enormously valuable skill. Just think about the times when you’re going to have to get on your feet and speak: when you’re trying to gee up the team, speaking at a wedding. You are going to have to speak louder than you normally would and engage with people.”
Although taping in the office for a good 30 minutes, the BBC condensed Jeremy’s wisdom into the above 40 seconds. Yet it seems a good enough assessment that applies to all of JLA’s motivational speakers.
Later in the show (loosely continuing the Winston Churchill theme) other JLA favourite Gyles Brandreth investigated claims that German soldiers had landed on British soil during World War 2.
To watch Jeremy’s appearance on The One Show, please click the video link below.https://vimeo.com/110580573