HEY up — and get out road. Did I really say that? Surely not?

I’m quite sure that what I said was ‘excuse me, but would you mind making room so that I could pass you’.

I find it extremely odd that we have two languages, because I am sure that I am not the only one who can, and does, slip from one way of speaking into another.

Now, when I go down to London on business, I speak a little bit broader Lancashire than I would do normally.

Why? Because down south they always assume that we up here ‘int’ north’ are a little bit thick, and so I play up to it a little bit — because it always pays off.

But I am of the opinion that living in the colder and, let’s face it, the often bleaker part of England has an effect on the character of its inhabitants.

I think it makes them strong, not just physically, but mentally, even if a little truculent at times.

Well, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it, so don’t you come here lad, telling me ‘to get out road’.

I was in London on Tuesday, meeting two girls, Blue and Sara from television.

I say ‘girls’ because, whatever age we girls are, we are always ‘girls’!

They were the TV crew who were with me for three months filming in India a few years ago, so, as you can imagine, we had a great ‘do you remember?’ and ‘I wonder if?’ time.

We forgot all about the heat, the food, and the damn mosquitoes. and just recalled the fun.

There is no doubt about it, nostalgia is a wonderful thing.

I was hoping to go back to do a ‘catch-up’ programme, but it seems things over there are not quite as easy as they were, so another of the best- laid plans of mice and men has gone astray.

When’s the sun going to shine?

This must be the longest winter ever, or is it that as you get older, it just seems that way?