I had a girly lunch with Jane McDonald this week. What a lovely woman. Just in case you wondered what she was like when the cameras were off, let me tell you she’s exactly the same: chatty, funny, kind, generous and she can’t half put some paella away.
Always nice to meet the glitterati and find out they’re solid because often stories circulate about them being ‘off’ which are so often unfair and I have no idea why people would slag someone off online for the sake of it.
It reminded me of years ago and someone once giving me the heads up that I was being obliterated online for being dismissive to someone at a book signing. I actually remembered the woman in glorious technicolour. She came to the table when I was chatting to the Waterstones manager as I was about to pack up because it looked very much as if no one else would be coming.
The manager I’ve known for a long time is a total pro and she quickly rounded off our conversation when the woman approached with her book for me to sign and we both greeted her warmly because that made it a round 50 books we’d sold. I had quite the chat with her and we even had a selfie so I was totally confused by all this.
I did something I never do and got in touch with this woman and asked her why she thought I’d been dismissive when actually we’d both made a big fuss of her being the 50th book sold and we’d talked and laughed and her answer was, ‘I don’t know, I just wanted more’. Guitar solo? Juggling routine? I never asked what ‘more’ was, I left it there. I realised at that moment that you may try, but you’ll never please ‘em all.
Praise indeed for the ‘The Long Shadow’ about the Yorkshire Ripper murders presently showing on Mondays and starring our own Katherine Kelly, who is absolute class and acting her socks off but making it look so natural, and soon to be seen Shaun Dooley.
At last a drama sympathetic to the victims who are so often as vilified as Sutcliffe for being ladies of the night. Somehow that has made them ‘lesser women’ for many years. Their deaths weren’t as important as the victims who had jobs in offices. No, I don’t get it either. For their families watching, to see their loved and missed portrayed primarily as mothers and wives and friends and daughters doing their best in hard times instead of mere ‘prostitutes’ must be a welcome breath of fresh air to them. I can already see this sensitive series sweeping all the BAFTA awards.
Nearly ran over someone this week, someone who should have known better sauntering across the road texting. Luckily I’d clocked them and I just instinctively knew they’d step out without even looking, which is madness on a busy road where people rarely stick to 30mph. So she was lucky. Middle-aged too, not a phone-obsessed kid. I can’t think of anything more awkward than trying to text on a phone when I’m walking. I see a woman every morning out with her dog and every single time she’s non-stop texting as she’s strolling. And I always think, what a shame she’s missing out on that connection with her dog, just enjoying the morning air and the peace and the quiet and the thinking time. I wouldn’t text that much if Jason Momoa was trying to engage me in conversation.
