IAN HYLAND

Inside The Foreign Office, BBC2 ★★★★

Over on BBC2 last night Boris Johnson was boasting about one of his many talents: “They love it when I speak French.”

No, he wasn’t explaining how a man with his looks and physique has managed to charm so many mistresses.

He was pointing out why he would go down so well during a visit to his opposite nombre at the French Foreign Office. I should explain that this was old footage. Well I say old. It was actually only filmed 12 months ago.

Fifty-two weeks is a very long time

in politics though. These days Boris would be lucky to get sent on an all-expenses-paid trip to Outer Mongolia. (Then again, Theresa May must be sorely tempted to do exactly that right now. A one-way trip.) Being so out of date doesn’t make this documentary series any less fascinating – particularly as the role of a civil servant seems a fairly timeless one. It doesn’t really matter who is in office. You do the job to the best of your ability. If

Johnson’s old chief civil servant Caroline Wilson was anything to go by it would appear the secret to diplomacy is not allowing your mouth to repeat what your face is clearly saying.

Honestly, if you thought Susanna Reid did the best suppressed eye rolls in Britain then check these out.

Still, Caroline can probably count herself lucky that Johnson didn’t get to go on the trip to Nigeria featured last night.

He would have only blundered in with a joke about an email from a bogus Nigerian prince.

These days Boris would be lucky to be sent to Outer Mongolia