Maybes aye, maybes no! Covering the overnight count at the Scottish independence referendum

My job for the night was as package producer - editing packages for the breakfast show. This was going to be busy as the formal result was expected while we were on air. As polling stations closed, a new poll put the Yes and No sides virtually equal.

The newsroom was busy. Two all-night election programmes were being broadcast from the BBC’s Glasgow headquarters, Pacific Quay. The whole building had been transformed to accommodate a massive screen on which the results would be shown. Banks of computers had been added so the number crunchers could input the vital details as results were declared in each of the 32 counts. As we settled in for the night, there was a hum of excitement as everyone wondered what future lay waiting in the ballot boxes.

Like other broadcasters, we had pictures from every count, so the first part of my night was spent looking for good images which we could use later. The middle of the night is a hard time to work. Your body is naturally trying to slow down at the end of the day when you should be gearing up for the hours ahead. A good supply of provisions helps, as well as a constant supply of tea.

One down, 31 to go. Orkney was next: another ‘no’. Shetland made it a hat-trick.

I was cutting the pictures of the declaration, looking for reaction from the counts. ‘No’ were jubilant - a clear contrast to parties on the ‘yes’ side.

My colleague Robert Pigott headed out to George Square in Glasgow where people were gathering - waving saltires, cheering and trying to continue the momentum of the past few weeks. By contrast, a colleague called to say they had spotted people praying outside the parliament building at Holyrood in Edinburgh. The Yes campaign’s woes were going to get worse before they got better, with the Western Isles also voting ‘no’.

As time went on, the results came in faster and faster. I headed to the edit suite where my correspondent Iain Watson was scripting. In the space of just a few minutes there were nine more declarations. Pictures were being edited in many places. It was important to make sure the best pictures were spotted and used.

And it was key to stay on top of the maths. Determining at what point it would be impossible for ‘yes’ to win was crucial for our pieces and our possible edits. The worry was that we would be caught with minutes to our deadline and a package that was completely out-of-date.

That is where the number crunchers came in. Fortunately my good colleague Tim Hammond was on hand to give me some guidance.

The time between our first feed at 05:45 and 08:30 was a blur. We were busy updating our packages with the newest content and reaction every half-hour so they could be played on Breakfast News.

As the result became clearer, we started to get the first speeches. These had to be included in any pieces we did. Time was spent editing clips and running back and forth to the edit suite to check how the scripting was going. Feed one, start another, and so it went on.

By now the newsroom was full: some people who had been spared from working overnight still looking fresh-faced, while others returned bleary eyed from a count.

When it could be seen there was no coming back for the Yes campaign, meetings sprung up all over the newsroom as programmes discussed where they wanted to be to cover this momentous moment.

Meanwhile our small team of three just kept editing and feeding packages which were played out on World and the News Channel. A bacon sarnie revived us but by 13:00 nothing but a lie-down could save us. In a few hours we had edited 10 packages covering this most historic of days. Tired but satisfied, I was more than happy to bid goodbye to my colleagues, all eagerly chasing up their contacts, and retire to bed.

Walking out, I passed the empty desks where the number crunchers had furiously inputted the results some hours before and past the big screen, now hanging darkly from the ceiling above.

The last few days have been historic, and being part of it is something that will stay with me for ever. It sounds cheesy, I know, but I’m tired. Goodnight!