Honours for some, Strictly for others

Normal service is gradually being resumed but the BBC News at Ten was definitely starting to turn a bit North Korea towards the end of the Olympics. Every night the bulletins were dominated by news of our nation’s heroic athletes and their glorious victories in Rio. This soon degenerated into a race with the evil Chinese empire - the evil drug-taking Russia having been vanquished easily – as state TV brought us daily news of more great triumphs and an improbable rise to second place on the medals table.

As much as we all enjoy British sporting success, too much at once is hard to process for those of us who are more comfortable with mediocrity, interspersed with the odd memorable triumph every few years.

The news this week is now focusing on the warm congratulations from our Dear Leader (The Queen) and how these national heroes are to be honoured through knighthoods, damehoods and the chance to advertise Shredded Wheat.

In the real North Korea, Kim Jong-un is not happy. It is reported that “those he feels have let him down are likely to be punished by being moved to poorer quality housing, having their rations reduced and, in the worst-case scenario, being sent to the coal mines.”

We seem to be operating a similar ‘incentive’ scheme over here, with the long-jumper Greg Rutherford being forced to take part in Strictly Come Dancing as punishment for the shame he brought on our proud nation with his meagre bronze medal.