Tough going

9am
The Time Team diggers arrive, led by Mick-the-dig Worthington. Regular Time Team digger Ian Powlesland also appears, ready to co-ordinate work with some local Canterbury archaeologists.

9.30am
Deturfing (removing the top layer of grass) commences on the first trench. It's at this stage that features could appear so the diggers follow up deturfing with cleaning back the underlying soil.

9.32am
Everyone discovers that the soil here is like concrete!

11.15am
Things are a bit stalled on site as the archaeologists and even the mechanical digger are struggling with the soil conditions. More later …

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Mick-the-Dig Worthington arrived in Canterbury late on Friday minus the long ponytail Time Team viewers have become accustomed to. The short stump that remains is what has grown out since a fateful day some months ago – the 30th birthday of Time Team digger Katie Hirst (now stationed at the Blue Boy Yard site). Asked what she most desired for a present, she said that she wanted to cut Mick's hair – and the deed was done!

This extreme act does not seem to have impaired Mick's strength, although it has done a bit to tidy up his image…

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Duncan Hess, broadcast director of the Tyler Hill site, talks to Matthew Reynolds about his job on the Live.

MR: Is it difficult working here when you're detached from the other two sites in the city centre?

DH: It's actually much easier. We are a completely self-contained unit up here and essentially we can deal with anything. Also you mustn't forget that all the bosses are down in the city. [Cue mischievous grin]

MR: As director of this site do you have a lot of freedom to film things the way you want to, or do you have to follow orders from the main director?

DH: Tory Batten (producer) tells me what the story is and explains how the archaeology is going and then I decide how I want to present it. It's quite varied because Time Team like wide shots where you can see everything that is happening, and then very close shots of artefacts. When you think about it, most TV programmes just frame people's faces most of the time.

MR: Do you enjoy the challenge of doing live television?

DH: I love it! My whole life is the same. Everything is left to the last second, it's just so much fun. The joy is that when it's finished that's it. The buzz you get is extraordinary.

MR: The run-through rehearsals must make things easier?

DH: It's funny. With live TV you can have a couple of tragically bad rehearsals and then when you go on air it all comes together. Mind you, I'm probably tempting fate saying that!

MR: You directed the Walmgate site at last year's Live. Do you think this will be a similar experience?

DH: The great thing with that was working with Sandi Toksvig, the same thing I'm doing here. It makes a lot of difference when you are working with such a professional presenter. It certainly makes my life easier.

MR: I guess you're looking forward to the next few days?

DH: It';s going to be great. I said to the crew this morning, 'We're going to get some great shots of this electric storm if it comes in.' Then they pointed out that we would be on top of the hill, sat inside two great big aluminium trucks with transmission masts on them. That kind of changed my mind.

MR: Are you ready for any surprises?

DH: We have already had geophysics come up with one of their 'anomalies'. They think the structure we're excavating could be a kiln, a Ford Cortina, or maybe even a bomb! I'm ready for anything. We all have our ears to the ground trying to hear the ticking.

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