Anchor's away!

Katie Derham reflects on presenting the First Night of the Proms for BBC TV

And we're off. After months of preparation, promotion and practice, finally the red light went on, the baton of Jirí Belohlávek came down and we were on air with the First Night of the Proms 2010. Mahler's 'Symphony of a Thousand', his 8th symphony, an epic choral work with a massive orchestra and no fewer than six choirs packed on to the stage, making the

most phenomenal sound. I loved it. I'm sure you have your own view of the work and the performance, but I felt I had the best seat in the house - not only was I in the thick of seeing this piece performed live, but because I had a TV monitor right next to me, I was also able to see the broadcast - the close ups of Jirí, of the soloists, of the angelic choirboys; of the phenomenally groovy mushrooms in the ceiling lit red .. You know, maybe I'm biased, but you actually get a pretty good deal watching the Proms on the telly if you can't get down to the Royal Albert Hall!

But as I sit here writing this, watching Stephen Fry talking about Wagner's Die Meistersingerand trying to ignore the carnage in the kitchen as my kids and their friends have supper, let me take you back to earlier this week when the first shots were filmed which would eventually be seen by you on the First Night...

The BBC's Maida Vale studios last Tuesday were a hive of activity as the BBC Symphony orchestra began sectional rehearsals of the Mahler. The work requires too many people for everyone to be together at that stage, but nonetheless I couldn't help being slightly stunned to realise that with just three days to go, this was the first time some of the players had tackled the music. But of course, the work is so gargantuan - 600 musicians were involved in last night's performace - that it's pretty tough to organise and stage; even the extremely experienced chief conductor, Jirí, told me later that it was only the second time he'd conducted it. The firstwas 30 years ago in Prague. You'd never guess though. As we snuck into the rehearsal to get some footage, the offstage brass chorus were being rehearsed (they appeared right at the end of the work, up in the Gods of the Albert Hall ... the sound was

unbelievable - and got a cheer from the rest of the orchestra. Talking to some of the

musicians, I really got a sense of excitement about playing not only this piece, but how, even for the most seasoned pros, the First Night of the Proms is a really big deal.

The days before the Proms season kicks off are frankly dizzying. I'm no stranger to the Hall or the festival, but I never cease to be amazed by what can only be described as 'extreme admin' going on: hordes of runners; rigorous security; endless co-ordination between the different parts of the BBC - TV, Radio and Online - to make sure that, frankly, we all know what's happening. And then, as rehearsals move into the Hall... literally hundreds of musicians backstage, who all need looking after: a catering operation which would put the military to shame. Quite extraordinary!

My role in it all is easy, really .. I get to interview interesting people, I'm made glamorous by the magic Christine .. and stand by to fill in any unexpected gaps. It's work I love - but I confess to huge relief when the actual nuts and bolts of the BBC2 broadcast went smoothly. I'll be back in the Hall on Monday for conductor Vasily Petrenko's Prom with his Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra ... a fabulously romantic programme of Schumann, Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky*. It will be superb, I'm sure .. I'll let you know how it goes behind the scenes! 

• *This concert is broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. Katie will present the concert as recorded for broadcast on BBC Two on Saturday 4 July. .