Meet the West Midlands team

The West Midlands Politics Show team is led by the BBC's Political Editor in the region, Patrick Burns.

Patrick has a passion for politics and he wants to share it. To those who consider it "dull and boring" he says nothing could be further from the truth.

"Ask people if they are bored by talking about their jobs, their healthcare, their children's education, transport and housing and they'll say 'of course not'."

In his leisure time Patrick is a "long suffering" supporter of Birmingham City FC.

He likes to get down to St Andrew's whenever he can to cheer on his beloved Blue Noses.

Patrick is also a keen aviation enthusiast - or as crueller work colleagues put it, "a plane spotter".

In weaker moments he will admit that he once dreamed of being an airline pilot.

Michael Collie

Michael was born in London, raised in Sheffield and came to the Midlands aged 19.

He's worked as an auxilliary nurse, a painter and decorator, a motorcycle courier, a steelworker, a stagehand, an actor and an Army officer.

His very first job was delivering the news (on his bike), which he still does now (at a desk) for BBC Midlands Today.

Michael says his ambition is to own a Cadillac hearse (low mileage, never driven at speed).

His most uncomfortable filming location? Well that would have to be the side of a Welsh quarry in a blizzard, for Countyfile.

As for the most uncomfortable set to work on. Well, that would have to be The Politics Show purple chair.

Although it is often the political guests who are left feeling decidedly uncomfortable after a grilling from Mr Collie.

Sarah Falkland

Sarah began her journalistic career in newspapers in her native Warwickshire and after a spell in BBC local radio she switched to television in 2000.

She presents and reports for BBC Midlands Today where she is a regular on the early morning and Saturday programmes.

When she's not presenting Sarah can turn her hand to pretty much anything - be it filming and editing her own reports or reporting live on location.

On the political front Sarah once found herself having to act as emergency make-up girl to Tony Blair before a BBC interview where she managed to over-powder the PM's nose, not to mention forehead, eyebrows and ears.

Outside work Sarah has an eye for antique furniture and confesses to a fascination with astrology.

Any guests to the show may well find themselves being quizzed about their star signs over tea and biscuits after the programme has finished.

Susana Mendonça

Susana began her career in journalism with the Wanstead & Woodford Guardian in her home city of London.

She later worked for BBC radio in London, Stoke, Lincolnshire, Essex and Birmingham before becoming a TV journalist with BBC South East.

Make sure you pronounce her name correctly or you will be in trouble and definitely never ask her if she is Spanish!

For the record Mendonsa is the correct way, Mendonka or Mendoza are definitely incorrect.

The squiggle under the c is called a cedilla and Susana is proud of her Portuguese roots. Her family hail from the beautiful island of Madeira.

Outside work Susana likes to travel the world, where she is an avid photographer. The results of these globetrotting photoshoots can be seen on her Facebook page.

Nick Watson

Nick started out in journalism as a trainee reporter with the Berrow's Worcester Journal - the world's oldest newspaper.

After several years in newspapers he moved into TV and radio at BBC Birmingham's spiritual home at Pebble Mill.

That is no more, but Nick's still going strong and as the Politics Show's producer he is the backbone of the programme "or so he tells us".

Shropshire bred, he's the authority on the linguistic debate over whether it's "shrowwzbury" or "shruuuzbury". He says "just call it Salop"

He loves his sport and in the winter is a keen fan of Shrewsbury Town FC.

In the summer he can sometimes be spotted at New Road, the home of Worcestershire CCC.

But this man is no cricket couch potato. He's been known to bowl the odd maiden over for his village cricket side with his "enthusiastic" displays of military medium.

Get in touch with us!

The Politics Show West Midlands - Sundays on BBC One.

You can contact the programme by emailing the programme producer Nick Watson at nicholas.watson@bbc.co.uk or ringing 0845 300 1138 to leave a message.

Alternatively, you can email your comments on the form below.

If you have a particular issue you would like us to follow up, then please write to: Nicholas Watson, BBC Politics Show Midlands, The Mailbox, Birmingham, B1 1RF.

Disclaimer: The BBC may edit your comments and cannot guarantee that all emails will be published.

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