Eating for my country

When you're promoting a book you sometimes have to do the strangest things. Yesterday I was interviewed by James Kidd for the food magazine Square Meal - taking place in one of my favourite restaurants - and to talk about my eating habits. Mr Kidd is a civilised journalist who doesn't spend the entire time trying to trick you into saying something silly, but is more interested in discussing the subject he said the interview would be about. No surprises that we touched on champagne and Shepherd's Pie, and what Mary and I serve our guests at our summer party. The meal took place in Lucio's on the Fulham Road, where we both had the courgette flowers to start and he ended with the Affogato, which is a disaster because I'm slimming (again) and piously watched Mr Kidd eating his.

In the evening I went to the Donmar to see Peter Gill's production of Small Change. The crits were very divided on whether this was brillant or boring, and the audience felt the same, because several people left during the interval while others cheered loudly at the end. Although the acting is of a high standard, I wouldn't put it to the top of your must-see list. My Personal Assistant, however, went to the first preview performance of the new musical, Never Forget at the Savoy Theatre, with a very sceptical, come on entertain me attitude. She reported back to me this morning that she thoroughly enjoyed it - it was very funny and had great energy. Such is her enthusiasm - and she was right about Dirty Dancing and Hairspray - that I shall be attending an early performance to see if I should be investing.