Sitting around chatting over coffee and the usual ‘lists’ topic came up. This time it was the ‘name 6 people you would invite for a dinner party’ list. Although an old list topic it was one that I had not done before. I thought for a good 5 minutes and could not think of 6 people. The only person I could think of was TPT. I was assuming that the guests must still be alive.

I will answer why TPT first, the anti nobility brigade of you should not scoff at my choice on the grounds their upbringing, education or amount of wealth , (snobbishness works both ways). I find her funny and entertaining and believe that she would be a definite asset at a dinner party. But who else could I invite?

MJ was surprised at my lack of imagination and for not including politicians or any female actress that I found attractive e.g. Salma Hayek, Kirsty Alley, Susan Sarandon, Jerry Ryan, Emman Thompson, Cote de Pablo or male actors I liked, for instance Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, Richard Dean Anderson, Tommy Lee Jones, Nicholas Cage, John Travolta, Sidney Poitier

Why not the above? Politicians are a species I do not like. With actors it is the characters they play I like and would want to invite, not the actors who play them. Have you listened to any interviews with famous actors? So many are wooden and cannot talk without a script in front of them. If you were to include those no longer with us then yes, I would include the likes of Hepburn, Cary Grant, Monroe, McQueen and the ilk. That fact speaks volumes to me; they had substance and a quality that appears lacking in today’s current crop of stars. Perhaps it is because fame today can be achieved quickly and can also be short lived as those that shot them to fame become bored very easily, forever looking for someone different. Today fame is about fashion, often called the ‘purple cow’.

After 15 minutes reflection my brain kicked in and suddenly I have too many. The next 5 being; Dawn French and Lenny Henry, Victoria Pendleton. As we had 3 women and 1 guy I thought I had better go with another 2 guys so I opted for Tufnell and Russell Brand although I wanted to include J Ross and Cathy Burke. Can’t I have 8? ‘NO’ I was told, choose! I will stick with my first 6 and keep Jonathan and Cathy in reserve. But then again, what about Rowan Atkinson and... must stop adding more!

It appears to be a very British dinner party I think you would agree.