Today I think I ought to wish a happy birthday to two men who are, in very different ways, extremely dear to me. Firstly, when I got in this evening the internet reminded me that today is Sir David Attenborough’s 98th birthday. I think I’ve said here before that, as far as I’m concerned, Sir David is hands down the greatest broadcaster ever. There can’t be a single person in the UK who didn’t grow up watching the great man’s fascinating natural history documentaries, or hasn’t been utterly intrigued by the plethora of natural wonders he has revealed to us. We are all extremely lucky to have Attenborough as part of our mediascape, and should find the sheer body of work he has brought us over seventy years truly remarkable.

More personally but no less importantly, today is also Serkan’s birthday. Serkan is officially my Personal Assistant, but he is much more akin to a friend or even brother. Over the last four years he has come to my flat twice a day and washed, dressed and fed me; he has stood by me through thick and thin, including the darkness of the pandemic. I owe him a great, great deal, and hope he has the best of days.