Two fantastic writers, two incredible bands. Is this the golden age of the rock (with a small r) biography?

From Chris Nolan's Odyssey to Ryan Coogler's X-Files via Jack Thorne and Philip Barantini's Enola Holmes 3, Himesh Patel is on the radar of all the right people this summer. My chat with him for Rolling Stone UK:

Had to dig up a hard copy for this one.

Had great fun hanging out with the This Morning teams for this week's Radio Times behind-the-scenes feature. (And have been whistling that bloody theme tune ever since.)

Andy Burnham to proscribe Blur a terrorist organisation

Hydration break

This is why I think the current "Farage is cooked" narrative is sadly overblown. The man is unflushable.

Les Dennis is in it but not playing Thelma Barlow's character? We used to be a country, etc

Hard to know if the Burnham vision is all hotpot-in-the-sky but... it's *something*, isn't it? And maybe we haven't had something for quite a while.

House Burnham moving the government to Winterfell

Oh, shit, more Tom Good-was-the-baddie-actually discourse, run for your fucking lives!

Reform U.K. is for people who have tattoos of their children but not custody of them.

Hydration break

Are we absolutely sure the Ghanaian witch doctor lifted that curse?

My parents liked 50s crooners and thought The Beatles were a noisy rabble. The 60s really were wasted on them.

King Charles paying £12.9m in tax

Do you live in a town? Andy Burnham is mayor of this town.

Yes, that's correct

I’m trying out the Reverse Pomodoro: alternating periods of 5 minutes work and 25 hours exhausted lolling.

Anyone who says "should of" to be barred from voting.

Bloody Burnham's Britain 😡 #ENGGHA

The pop kids are so blessed at the moment. Imagine growing up in the age of Taylor, Harry, Sabrina and Olivia instead of Westlife, Atomic Kitten and Steps.

Left-wing people on Bluesky: Burnham will just be Starmer with a different accent Right-wing press: The Bolsheviks are coming! Bury your jewellery!

Honestly, you complain when it's too cold and you complain when it's dangerously hot and have you have to stay indoors with the curtains closed

Whereas history won't remember you at all

Raising a glass to that fine actor David Daker. With his roguish twinkle and Black Country brogue, he raised the game in everything from Z Cars to Porridge to Boon to Dick Turpin. His two turns in Doctor Who, as robber baron Irongron and hapless space captain Rigg, are up there with the very best.

Better postwar Italy than wartime Germany

Hopefuly we are getting to the point that the PM will just be a giant wicker figurine that can be burned ritually every year to stop the crops from failing

Live footage of Burnham arriving in London

Whatever people think domestically, as a statesman on the world stage Keir Starmer was exemplary

Nothing sums up mad, ungovernable Britain better than this opening sentence.

Lectern Day's no fun when the PM isn't a certifiable prick.

Andy Burnham has to appoint Mandelson or Corbyn, whichever is funnier/most piss boiling

Has anyone checked on George Fouracres?

[taps the sign, wearily]

Messing with anyone at the charity shop who tries to profile me.

Advertise your Bluesky account with a Simpsons gif

The view from Starmer's window at Chequers this weekend. #DoctorWho

Have expanded this into an inevitable Substack post (sorry!) open.substack.com/pub/paulkirk...

Brilliant speech from Burnham at Ashton FC. Keir Starmer has many fine qualities, but being PM is in large part a sales job. And Burnham is a terrific salesman. (Whether that translates into good policy... Who knows? 🤷‍♂️)

Why propaganda and disinformation are essential to far right parties like Reform in a nutshell.

Imagine if the vote still ends up with party members, and they accidentally elect a red squirrel, or Richard Burgon.

Where’s Andy Burnham going?

Congratulations to Andy Burnham for winning The Masked Singer.