Sick of Brexit but CNN is quality

YES, I’m a Bob: Bored of Brexit. Except for the headlines, or some hold-the-front-page story, I haven’t watched television news this year. Even then, if there’s any mention of Brexit I zap. I have grown weary of having endless expert opinions barked into my ear.

However... if any expert can claim to have predicted the financial crash of 2008, Brexit, Trump, the rise of populism, a lurch to the right across Europe, the explosion of antiSemitism around the world – and Noel Edmonds being the first to be evicted from some celebrity jungle outpost – then I am prepared to listen.

Calling yourself an expert should mean having a grasp of what ambush awaits us tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, next decade... otherwise experts are just control freaks wearing their prejudices as a buttonhole – and given a platform to endlessly do so. Thanks, but no thanks. If we have another referendum, then I’ll revisit Brexit.

The only news programme I now watch is America’s CNN, mostly because their politics is a proper soap opera (the White House is Southfork, Trump is JR, and the Rest of the World is Cliff Barnes). Oh, and on CNN, Brexit is mostly mentioned only in passing – if it’s a more detailed report, then I zap.

Talking of CNN, last Wednesday I happened upon the funeral service of George Bush. When the cortège reached the cathedral, the first face I saw was that of Bishop Michael Curry – he who divided opinion when he stole over twice his allotted time at Meghan and Harry’s wedding service. However, here he only had a few set lines to deliver. Phew!

As for the service itself, the eulogists had 10 minutes each – but here were some of the best public speakers you are ever likely to hear, and none more so than the 87-yearold former senator Alan Simpson