Congratulations To The Happy Couple

I saw on the evening news that veteran radio and television presenter Noel Edmonds this week married his third wife, Liz Davies.

Many years ago, it was 1987 if my memory serves me, I found myself sat on a InterCity train at Birmingham New Street Station waiting for a late running connecting service to arrive before I could continue my onward journey.

Sat opposite me, was a round-faced, rotund young chap - yes, it was like looking in a mirror - who was becoming visibly angry about the ongoing delay.

Moments later, as the young fellow could contain his anger and frustration no longer, he cried-out at the top of his voice, to no-one in particular 'I hate the Queen, I hate Margaret Thatcher but most of all I hate Noel Edmonds'.

The young fellows outburst certainly set me thinking. I also made sure I didn't make eye contact with him.

Whilst I could understand that Her Majesty and the Prime Minister could elicit strong feelings one way or the other, surely Noel, the one-time Saturday Swap Shop presenter was someone who one could take or leave. Noel and his 'gang' had been an important part of my Saturday mornings growing up and as such someone I'd always held in high regard.

I assumed the young mans heart-felt declaration had been as a result of some unfortunate mental illness or a propensity to take drugs. Moments later our train continued on its journey.

Years later, and having experienced Noel's House Party, Noel's Are You Smarter Than A Ten Year Old, Noel's HQ and Deal or No Deal (possibly to be renamed Noel's Deal or No Deal at some future point?), I came to appreciate that the young man was a visionary, ahead of his time.

Anyway, back to the purpose of my post: heart-felt congratulations to Mr and Mrs Edmonds.