Tonight’s Heresy: Skinner saves the day

Tuesday, 28 April 2009

We nearly had a disaster with this week’s episode, when one of the guests was taken ill on the day of the recording. I was so relieved and delighted when Frank Skinner agreed to step in at the last minute. Much though I regretted the absence of the missing guest (who is now fine), I’m a huge fan of Frank Skinner, have just finished reading his wonderful second book (the first is great too) and was bowled over to have him on the show.

Luckily, one of the topics is about art, on which Frank is a bit of an expert. It was a very lucky coincidence that I’d just finished reading his book so knew all about his weekend trips to galleries and his secret viewing of Velasquez after hours in the National Gallery. The other guests are Frank’s fellow comedian Arthur Smith, and lovely Guardian columnist Lucy Mangan - together they made for a really good show.

It’s at 6.30 this evening on Radio 4, and the pieces of received wisdom that the guests will be trying to demolish are:

WE SHOULD SAVE BRITAIN’S ART TREASURES FROM BEING SOLD ABROAD

THE SMOKING BAN HAS WORKED OUT RATHER WELL

and

A SHELL SUIT IS INAPPROPRIATE ATTIRE FOR A COURT APPEARANCE.