Star comment: Groundhog week for PM

It’s one of those cases of being careful of what you wish for, as instead of disappearing quietly into the future, there continues to be a loud and constant rustling in that grass, and instead of suffering what would have been a painful but, from his point of view hopefully transient, political hit, everything is now being drawn out into a long-running soap opera with the eagerly awaited denouement yet to come.

In the days when Parliament was deadlocked by the Brexit imbroglio, every Monday’s news bulletins seemed to start along the lines of “Prime Minister Theresa May faces a critical week”.

Now we have it all over again for Boris Johnson. Every week is a critical week. Last week was a critical week for his premiership. He spent it under the constant threat of Sue Gray’s report being published, which hasn’t happened yet. He had to deal with more questions about parties and he also saw one of his most senior ministers under fire over the eye-watering cost of a flight.

This week will be groundhog week – yes, you guessed it, yet another critical week for his premiership.

For Boris Johnson there is no escape route, unless something happens which makes the news agenda move on dramatically and people lose interest in what went on in Downing Street. There is currently no sign of that happening.

To his opponents Boris Johnson is on the hook and all that we are waiting for is to have him reeled in. There is an increasing sense that it is a matter of when, and not if, there will be a new Prime Minister.

You’re marooned on a desert island. What music would you like?

Desert Island Discs is marking its 80th birthday.

When Roy Plomley devised the format during the dark days of the war, he thought it might perhaps run to six programmes, and no doubt saw it as untaxing entertainment for a nation in troubled times.

That is a brief he effortlessly fulfilled, but you also get a fascinating insight into the personalities of the famous and distinguished guests through their choices.

One didn’t choose any music at all (just spoken words). And who would have thought Sir Michael Caine liked disco music?

Then there are the questions. Sue Lawley famously asked Gordon Brown if he was gay.

Plomley’s format was a simple one – which he got right first time.