WARM, WITTY AND WISE
APPLAUSE for the parents at the HENRYVIII School inabergavenny who have seen off a dopey plan to rename it the Abergavenny Learning Centre.
An anguished Labour councillor had said he was “conflicted” about the school being named after a wife-killing king who “entrenched inequality”. Hilarious.
Complaining that atudor monarch “entrenched inequality” is like deploring his slack observance of traffic regulations.
And while Henry may have had many faults there is no question about his academic achievements. He was reasonably fluent in French, Spanish, German, Italian, Latin and Greek. He played several musical instruments. He learned mathematics, science, history, philosophy and rhetoric. In his youth he was a fine sportsman. Things for pupils at the Abergavenny school to aspire to rather than deny.
APART FROM me is there anyone out there who hasn’t watched a minute of BBC One’s Happyvalley (above)? I gather the finale is tonight.
I might have watched it if the BBC hadn’t kept telling me how wonderful it was. But the breathless excitement of everyone from continuity announcers to Martha Kearney on the Today programme made me determined to swerve it. Too much hype.
IN COMMON with many listeners, I’m fed up withthearchers – all those ghastly young people with their issues. It’s like a social workers’ training podcast.
And then… Jennifer Aldridge just up and died! Angela Piper, who has played her since 1963, wanted to retire.
It shouldn’t have been allowed, but I was glued to the radio in a way that I haven’t been since Nigel Pargetter fell to his death from the roof of his stately home in 2011.
This is far worse, though.thearchers without Jennifer is unthinkable.
She was my favourite character from the moment in 1966 when she announced that she was going to be an unmarried mother (after a brief affair with randy Paddy the cowman) and took her place as the scarlet woman of Borsetshire.
I loved the way she dealt with husband Brian (of the perpetually wandering eye) and had both the soul of an artist and the relatable yearnings of a middle-class matron who wants a new Aga, and wants it now.
Before her death (a heart problem) she had written a letter to her family which was read out by the characters. It was so moving... not a dry eye in my kitchen.
It made me remember how much I used to lovethearchers and fear that it will never be the same again.