I was always under the impression that opposition parties were relied upon for holding the ruling government to account NOT simply look for any pretext to slag it off. Whatever happened to true democracry?

Congratulations DAME Elaine Paige! You more than deserved such an honour, my darling, for such a successful and distingushed career. Over the years your enormous talent and inspiring portfolio of charitable work have made this world a richer place. XXX.

DON'T LOOK UP! Bitingly funny satire on a par with "Dr Strangelove" about political & business responses to a comet threatening Earth. Written & directed by Adam McKay with Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance. Highly recommended. Netflix.

"Truly one of my favourite film scripts ever. Camp, scary, gothic and funny all at the same time. I hope you will treasure and enjoy the opportunity of reading the screenplay to this film through the projector of your own imagination." (Reece Shearsmith) 🎬 Books @amazon

‘The writing is so evocative, and the images so easy to see in our mind’s eye, that we have no difficulty in imagining ourselves right there in that foggy, gas-lit London of nearly a century ago when the magic happens'- Sandra Harris. 📽️The Christmas feel-good screenplay @Amazon

I whole-heartedly endorse Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in her Reith Lrecture on Channel 4 where she condemned our current climate of idealogically "cleansing" literature and the Arts for fear of causing offence. The Victorians did it by painting draped veils over the "naughty" bits.

So sad to learn about dear Leslie Phillips whose comic mastery on screen often eclipsed his fine stage work including Shakespeare. Our friendship developed in the '70s when he was living with the gifted Angela Scoular who I'd known at RADA and died in 2011. I'll miss them both.

Just listening to the opening chorus of Saint Saens' opera SAMSON ET DALILA. One of those glorious moments when a great composer succeeds in transmitting the profundity that is God! Inspiring!

Try reading a feel-good film for Jubilee week! A director-written screen play gives you shot by shot storyboard images to fire your imagination and take you on a fast-moving emotionally absorbing journey - as long as you don't skip-read. In paperback @amazon or @PaperDragonPro

Try reading a feel-good film for Jubilee week! A director-written screen play gives you shot by shot storyboard images to fire your imagination and take you on a fast-moving emotionally absorbing journey - as long as you don't skip-read. In paperback @amazon or @PaperDragonPro

Try reading a feel-good film for Jubilee week! A director-written screen play gives you shot by shot storyboard images to fire your imagination and take you on a fast-moving emotionally absorbing journey - as long as you don't skip-read. In paperback @amazon or @PaperDragonPro

Try reading a feel-good film for Jubilee week! A director-written screen play gives you shot by shot storyboard images to fire your imagination and take you on a fast-moving emotionally absorbing journey - as long as you don't skip-read. In paperback @amazon or @PaperDragonPro

Try reading a feel-good film for Jubilee week! A director-written screen play gives you shot by shot storyboard images to fire your imagination and take you on a fast-moving emotionally absorbing journey - as long as you don't skip-read. In paperback @amazon or @PaperDragonPro

Try reading a feel-good film for Jubilee week! A director-written screen play gives you shot by shot storyboard images to fire your imagination and take you on a fast-moving emotionally absorbing journey - as long as you don't skip-read. In paperback @amazon or @PaperDragonPro

Try reading a feel-good film for Jubilee week! A director-written screen play gives you shot by shot storyboard images to fire your imagination and take you on a fast-moving emotionally absorbing journey - as long as you don't skip-read. In paperback @amazon or @PaperDragonPro

Try reading a feel-good film for Jubilee week! A director-written screen play gives you shot by shot storyboard images to fire your imagination and take you on a fast-moving emotionally absorbing journey - as long as you don't skip-read. In paperback @amazon or @PaperDragonPro

Try reading a feel-good film for Jubilee week! A director-written screen play gives you shot by shot storyboard images to fire your imagination and take you on a fast-moving emotionally absorbing journey - as long as you don't skip-read. In paperback @amazon or @PaperDragonPro

Try reading a feel-good film for Jubilee week! A director-written screen play gives you shot by shot storyboard images to fire your imagination and take you on a fast-moving emotionally absorbing journey - as long as you don't skip-read. In paperback @amazon or @PaperDragonPro

Try reading a feel-good film for Jubilee week! A director-written screen play gives you shot by shot storyboard images to fire your imagination and take you on a fast-moving emotionally absorbing journey - as long as you don't skip-read. In paperback @amazon or @PaperDragonPro

Happy birthday, Ian. Sorry I missed your other 75. Still, "Better late than never". Let's try and have a catch-up before the next 70+? All my love and best wishes.🎂🍾🍾🍾 Michael xx