MSU

Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go are both gorgeous books. Quite similar in a lot of ways. Hundreds of pages of people not saying what they feel has never been so good. Finally got round to starting The Glass Hotel by Emily St John Mandel. I've had it to read for more than a year but I loved her other books, particularly Station Eleven, so much I was kinda scared I wasn't going to enjoy this one. So far so good.

They had a Man vs Food Marathon over here one weekend a year or so ago and you could watch him just fucking balloon in time-lapse fashion over the course of an afternoon. Poor c**t.

Yes, sir.

…and nor had her agent. Or her publisher.

Talking of final lines: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/jul/05/saturdayreviewsfeatres.guardianreview26

I've had tattoos on my upper arm, inside arms and calf and probably the only one that was actually painful to the point where I was ready to boot the guy's pie was the one on my calf. The others have been more like someone dragging a sharpish nail down my skin for an hour. Getting an ingrown toenail removed, in my experience, was much much worse.

Yeah, I spotted that too. I can't think what the connection with the tooth is, tho.

I was about three paragraphs into why I thought this was the weakest episode in two series of This Time but I started contradicting myself and then remembering other bits I laughed out loud at, so I'm going to watch it again before suggesting something so controversial. I guess in summary, I found the last five minutes laugh-free and none of the Princess Anne stuff really landed for me except Simon asking him why he was speaking Shakespearian.

The twitter account that trolled Jennie has been hiding in plain sight.

That was a quality series. Great bunch of contestants and a much better vibe than last season when Daisy's apparent hated for Richard right from the start kinda ruined it a bit for me. Mike just cemented himself as an al-time top contestant and surely has to be the best one ever not to win. So between setting me on to Mike and Charolotte in Ghosts, this series is right up there as one of my favourites. Had there been a proper audience, it might have been the pick of the bunch.

Season 12 line-up announced.

I expected Lee Mack to walk most of the tasks because he's got such a sharp head on his shoulders, he seems made for the show. I listen to the aftershow podcast and a few guests on there have mentioned that he frequently goes off on long riffs that they end up having to cut. But he does seem a different Lee Mack to the one on Would I Lie To You, f'rinstance.

Partridge has always had great writers behind him but I’d have to agree that the Gibbons brothers have managed to pick up that legacy and expand on it, taking it in new, interesting directions while still being true to the character’s history. In addition to This Time and MMM, consider the books, and particularly the audiobooks, of I, Partridge: We Need To Talk About Alan, and Nomad, both of which are comedy perfection. They know what they’re doing, likes.

Grandad Graham. Really looks like we're moving towards a massive Alan meltdown in ep 6 and Simon stealing his position on the show.

Mike Wozniak has made it on to my Top 3 Best Taskmaster Contestants. Best contestants for me: Wozniak, Mortimer, Giedroyc Worst: Lou Sanders, Alice Levine, Russell Howard

Sidekick Simon is still mouthing Alan's autocue. It's still cracking me up.

Watched it recently for the first time in probably ten years and it was just as good. Brilliant fun.

I love how you've got into bullet points, Lynn. I knew you'd like them if you tried them.

Anyone have the clip where Madeley tells his daughter she was an accident? "Well, you were."

It's the other Riz, Riz Ahmed. But you're absolutely right, he's great in this. Seems he spent seven months learning sign language and how to play the drums, which kinda explains how he manages to sell both 100%.

It's not even been 24 hours. We've still to get through the Chris-De-Burgh-Peddling-His-Own-Mawkish-Tribute phase.

9 for Monday. 10 for Tuesday.

Brace of 9s for Thursday and Friday.

9 for Monday 9 for Tuesday 10 for Wednesday