mostly david ephgrave

So 2016 draws to a close, and what a year it’s been. I’m not going to delve into the political upheaval of the past twelve months as, if I did, it would dominate this blog post and bring the mood down. I also won’t dwell on the sad loss of so many influential figures in the public eye; a list so long, it's very easy to miss people off. On a personal level, the year has been mixed. The biggest step was taking my second solo show to my first solo Edinburgh Fringe. This was a huge leap of faith that was terrifying to comprehend as it drew closer, yet I came out the other side of that 24-date run largely unscathed, having genuinely enjoyed it. I can’t thank my wife and family enough for their unflinching support as I cycled in and out of confidence, and my friends (and Best Men) Glyn Doggett and Stephen Halliday for their advice, time and feedback; they’re all in my Last Will and Testament, though my estate is such that they won’t wind up with much...

I find it worrying, looking back on my Twitter feed, that I managed to post a tweet for nearly every minute of tonight’s final of Strictly Come Dancing. I was in the strange position this year (as I mentioned at 8:17pm) of liking all the celebrities left in the competition and consequently, not really minding who won, as long as Jay from The Wanted didn’t find a way of sneaking into the studio unnoticed to become eligible to participate for a time; I really didn’t like that man. Unsurprisingly, they all put in great performances, so it could have gone any way. I expected Danny Mac to win, as he was the most consistent and perhaps the best dancer technically, but also had a soft spot for Louise (and an even softer spot for her partner Kevin from Grimsby). When Tess Daly announced Ore was the champion, I was surprised but not disappointed (as I said at 8:50pm), as he’s a great performer, and someone I’d warmed to, despite finding him irritating on BB...