writer, broadcaster and poker player

London
Joined April 2009
A few weeks ago on #OnlyConnect I mentioned Kite’s Nest Farm and magical Rosamund Young. Today I was lucky enough to meet her. An unforgettable day. If you haven’t read The Wisdom of Sheep and The Secret Life of Cows, I earnestly recommend that you do!
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Okay, I will do that – if you can repeat the invitation three times and quickly.
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Merry Christmas! Alternatively, you could get this. The new Only Connect quiz book is out today. (Warning: contains startling personal revelation from the host.)
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bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6pw… Interesting phrasing, BBC News! I feel sure a woman has won something in a UK tournament before… don’t tell me, don’t tell me..
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Dangerous yes, but WHAT a holiday you’ve had!
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I’m hearing from a LOT of Sheffield spice lovers and I’m being won over by them. (I appreciate this statement is at risk of being misconstrued.)
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As I keep forgetting to mention, Monday after Monday, ONLY CONNECT IS ON TONIGHT! 8pm @BBCTwo
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I once said on a TV show that my idea of fashion sense as a teenager was customising my inhaler. Delighted to see there is now a company doing exactly that. They actually customise it for you. A product for the wheezy AND lazy! If only I could be 15 again. inhalertailor.com/classic-si…
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This company is not paying me to endorse them, by the way. NOT YET ANYWAY.
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Having a FaceTime at lunch and explaining to our toddler “You can see Daddy’s at work, because he’s wearing a tie and his hair’s all neatly combed”. I think I won’t try to explain the unusual extra dimension for now. She might as well just assume he’s got a real job.
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Have you noticed the weather is changing at last? It’s almost as though an icy wind is blowing across the country. Only Connect returns, tonight at 8 pm on BBC Two.
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Out shopping for barbecue ingredients this morning, in advance of the big match? Which team will triumph? Who will sally forth towards ultimate championship? That’s right: Only Connect returns on Monday night, 8pm @BBCTwo
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I’ve always found the dietary concept of “a square or two of dark chocolate” incredibly depressing. That’s not a treat! Might as well be a couple of radishes.
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If your target market is the kind of person who wants to read about the royal family in OK magazine (which, I don’t mind telling you, I AM), I think this is quite an odd way to go with the headline.
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In January 2023, the wonderful Esther Rantzen announced she had stage 4 lung cancer. Today she celebrates her 86th birthday. This example of hope is yet another way in which that magnificent woman has been a force for good in the world. Here's an interview I did with her in 2017, where she shines like a sunflower. bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0952zl…
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“North Wales” is a strange choice. If the guy’s mother is in North Wales, so he is presumably FROM North Wales, he is really unlikely to be wearing those clothes.
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I am hosting Have I Got News For You tonight! Ian‘s guest is Bella Hull and Paul‘s guest is Karl Turner MP. There’s something for everyone, by which I mean, everyone who is interested in the Labour Party or football. 9pm on BBC One.
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What’s lovely is that you can also get this with whipped cream, plus a sprinkle of statins on top for crunch.
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While I was out of the room, it seems my daughter stole my phone and secretly filmed her own tribute to David Attenborough.
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Like many many other people tonight, I suspect, we’re settling down to have our dinner in front of an old episode of Planet Earth. He was only 80 when he made this one! A stripling! Happy birthday Sir David 🍾
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