Catching up on the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, and wondering (as I always do) if there is an option to watch it with a clean feed of the sound and no commentary? These ceremonies are big dramatic productions, and I want to watch the performance without people talking over the whole thing.

Is there no job not at risk from AI?

The Mandelson allegations are extremely serious, and the fallout will be important to our politics. In an era when trust in politics is a big problem, too many people will think “See? This is what politicians do.” It’s hugely important to show that such apparent behaviour is very much not typical.

I’ve now added a good 7,000 words to this total (well, I hope they’re good), and submitted the manuscript. 🎉 In other news, I’ve somehow become fully nocturnal, have only just woken up, and am not wholly sure what day it is or who I am. 🦉😵‍💫

Well. A few months ago I had what seemed like an impossible task: write my next book, to a wordcount of around 100,000, by the end of January. It is now just after midnight on 1st February, and after a very long day my magical Excel totaliser tells me... I'VE DONE IT!* *(some caveats apply)

I think I’d find it pretty easy to decide who to vote out on #TheTraitors: “I’m sorry, [X], I’ve written your name down. Obviously we have no actual evidence of anything, but I just heard you say ‘yourself’ instead of ‘you’, during this roundtable and I honestly can’t let that go unpunished.”

This morning in the shower I was struck by inspiration for a brilliant (I thought) metaphor for the current chapter. Worried it might vanish before I could write it down, I dictated it into my phone. Dictating prose from your bathroom is very Churchillian. 🛁 ✌️

In other news… Last night I appeared on stage with Sir Derek Jacobi. 🤩 Was absolutely delighted, as Chair of Trustees of Greenwich Theatre, to welcome him back to our stage (on which he first performed in 1971) for a glorious fundraising event with his husband Richard Clifford. They were lovely.

Whenever I emerge briefly from my writing purdah to see what’s going on in the news I really wish I hadn’t. In a couple of weeks I’m going to hit “send”, smile in satisfaction and start to reconnect with the world, which I very much hope will still be there at that point.

I received two- TWO! - sales calls before 9am this morning, after stupidly complying with the demand on a website to enter my contact details when browsing for business services yesterday. As I was up working until 2am, this was not exactly how I wanted to start the day. 😒

I really haven’t got my head around the extent to which people - apparently lots of people- are regularly using regurgitative AI to write things for them. It only dawned on me the other day why so many LinkedIn posts seem so oddly contrived and artificial. Now I keep looked suspiciously all around.

One of our (supposedly “smart”) TVs abjectly refuses to recognise my iPhone or iPad for screen mirroring purposes. We have another TV that does, but it’s in another room, and I abjectly refuse to move from the warm comfy room I’m in. We have a standoff situation.

Grateful for all those who have included me in starter packs, and to new followers for stopping by. I will have some interesting history and other content for you to enjoy or ignore this year- but this month I’m deep in essay crisis for my book, so posting will be sporadic (and/or dull)…

Are we having another influx of ex-Xers? Because I’ve just had a boost in followers, and I don’t know why. (Part of me had a panicked flash of “Oh heck, what have I said now?”) Anyway, you’re all very welcome. Come for the cats and cake, stay for the wry historical/constitutional musings.

“And where the heck have you been?” The sight that greeted me on walking through the front door. Ah, the judgement of cats.

The new office setup is definitely having a positive impact. Another 3,000-word day yesterday (though I’m staying up later and becoming slowly nocturnal). The current chapter is now over 10,000 words, which might need cutting. But that’s for the editing stage. For now, ONWARDS! #authorlife

Today was a 3,000-word day, and I'm not even done yet. Coming back to my keyboard after the Traitors... #smug

Update: I’ve now flipped the whole setup the other way after my husband said it’s bad feng shui to have your back to the door. I now have DEFINITIVELY the best layout, putting my desk in the “command position” facing the door. I now need someone to knock so I can do the CJ/ Reggie Perrin routine:

Right, #DoctorWho people- I need your help. I’ve just glanced over at my Eaglemoss line-up and it troubles me that I don’t have a Ncuti Gatwa figure to complete the line-up. Has anyone produced one? (I know the company went bust).

Latest constructive procrastination update: I’ve moved my office around - again- so I can see out the window from my desk. And I’ve decided I need a writing slope.

OK, it’s Twelfth Night, and this all needs to be eaten. Them’s the rules. 🍰

Our cottage is still looking unfeasibly pretty in the snow, but-as I’m told that doxing yourself by plastering photos of your actual house online is generally a bad idea, you’ll just have to believe me on that. But put it this way- I watched The Holiday at the weekend and… yep, we’re prettier.

It SNOWED! And we live in a country cottage now, so it seems I’ve woken up in a Hallmark Christmas movie.

I’ve just been told off for being too smug, having said from series one of #TheTraitors that it needs an element where we as the audience also have to guess along. This is going to be fun.

Anyway, Happy New Year, everyone. Hope 2026 brings you all you desire. Or at least just enough of it to make you reasonably happy without becoming unbearably smug.

Must say “If tomorrow never comes” was a choice for a New Year’s Eve party, Ronan.

Catching up on the honours list coverage, and having a sly chuckle at how many people’s reaction to getting a gong is to declare how deeply “humbled” they are. The word is the opposite of “honoured”, yet is now used almost as though it means the same thing. It’s OK to just say you’re chuffed.

Not sure what other New Year’s Resolutions I’ll come up with, but the first one is unavoidably going to be “finish writing the damn book. Immediately.” I suppose another will be “make sure next year I don’t leave myself with thousands of words a day to write over the Christmas ‘break’.”

Right- despite it only being the 5th day of Christmas, I’ve had to go back to work on the book. Had the morning off but now it’s nose to the grindstone until next draft submission date. The next week will be fuelled by chocolate and cheese. Also, my writing barn might need a while to warm up… 🥶

I was given a soup maker for Christmas, so there’s a good chance that by the time my husband arrives back from driving relatives home today, the entire pantry of leftovers will have been liquified in a series of questionable combinations.

STOP BEING SO CUTE! How am I supposed to concentrate on eating my own bodyweight in leftovers when there’s so much feline festive posing going on?! 🎄 🐈

There’s something very comforting about Christmas repeats of films that have become staples of the season. I’m sure I remember Indiana Jones from when it was the “big film” on Christmas Day in the 1980s as its terrestrial TV premiere. And here we are again.

Out of interest, to what temperature do people heat their homes? We have cranked our heating up to the preferences of our houseguests, so it’s been up to 23-24°C (75°F), which is apparently normal for most people, and they do indeed seem happy. I however am sweltering and feel it’s FAR too hot. 🥵

All is well. #MorecambeandWise

OK, it’s time for a seasonal classic from @nigella.bsky.social: ham in Cola… this year with a Guinness twist…

It’s time… For Fanny Cradock at Christmas.

Not saying I’m getting jittery about hosting Christmas, but last night found me doing this at 1am to check oven configurations.

Oh my goodness, I forgot I did this. I’m so happy to have got this reference in. Just need to find a way to get a Back To The Future quote in and I’ll be laughing.

Pulled an all-nighter last night to get back on schedule with the book before the Christmas break. Went to bed at 7am having written something that seemed insightful and compelling as dawn broke, but could be utter rubbish. But it’s done. Christmas preparations can now begin.

Apropos of a certain story tonight, can we also agree that straight men using lazy gay stereotypes as an easy punchline has always been, at the very least, tiresome. It’s not clever or ironic if the only joke is “Ooh, look, I’m pretending to be gay!” 🙄

Can't believe we're nearly at the end of 2025 - and it's been quite a year in the politics of opposition! Join me and Sarah Southern as we take stock of a dramatic year and look ahead to what 2026 might have in store... pod.link/oppositionca...

Can't believe we're nearly at the end of 2025 - and it's been quite a year in the politics of opposition! Join me and Sarah Southern as we take stock of a dramatic year and look ahead to what 2026 might have in store... pod.link/oppositionca...

Awww - Earlier I told the lovely ladies who organise our village coffee morning that I couldn't attend today as I'm still getting over the flu. A few minutes ago there was a knock at the door, and they've only popped over to leave me a box of cakes! Such a kind thing to do - I'm genuinely touched.

I've just found an opportunity to quote Sir Humphrey Appleby from "Yes, Prime Minister" at some length in my latest chapter draft, and will fight anyone who tells me to take it out. Writing a book is HARD, so please just let me have this one thing. It's nearly Christmas!

Having spent a week now trying to continue writing to a tight schedule while battling the most irritatingly persistent cold I’ve had for a while, I can say I’m very much out of patience with it now. Leave me alone- I need to work!

This is the kind of detail that probably doesn't matter, but I'm ill, pedantic to the point of obsession, and if I'm not careful will spend the whole weekend researching it. PLEASE, someone direct me to a source or share this to your nerdy networks. I'm thinking @cheeseford.bsky.social and others

AUTHOR REQUEST*: Can one of the legion of amazing broadcasting history geeks please tell me what the procedure was for signalling a live news broadcast from a radio studio at the BBC in the 1950s? I vaguely remember that the red light flashed and then switched OFF (rather than on)- is that right?

I started getting a nasty cold at the weekend. Yesterday I rested for most of the day and by this morning I thought I was over the worst. Reader, I was not over the worst. 🥶 🤧 🤒

It's Your Party... and You're not invited. This week's #OppositionCast discusses the chaotic "Your Party" founding conference, which saw Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana's rocky relationship take another turn as Sultana boycotted the opening day. Can the new party recover?: pod.link/oppositionca...

Shame it can’t also use the LCC/GLC’s splendid Council Chamber and civic building…