Thursday 22 March 2012

Too Much Information


One of the most satisfying contributions of Web 2.0 to modern life is the facility to instantly research people on Television and resolve common arguments such as "
are they older than me?". It adds an extra sofa-based dimension to otherwise fairly mundane programmes.

Last Friday evening I honed in on Joe Swift, the follically-challenged garden designer from Gardener's World on BBC2. This programme is but a pale imitation of the one presided over by the great Geoff Hamilton, and Swift is a relative lightweight with his semi-cockernee vowels and faux-bonhommie. It's obvious from his gurning bish-bosh luverly jubberly style to camera that he fancies his chances as the Jamie Oliver of Soil.


So from whence did he spring, this slaphead son of the sods? Pass me the iPad if you please, and gather round, this may surprise you. It certainly surprised me.

Turns our little Joe’s Mum is none other than "Dame Margaret Drabble, Lady Holroyd, DBE FRSL (born 5 June 1939) - English novelist, biographer and critic." That would make his Auntie Antonia, A.S.Byatt, who doesn't speak to his mum anymore after a fall-out over a family tea set.

And who is Joe’s Dad?

Step forward actor Clive Swift, aka Richard Bucket, the long-suffering screen husband of Hyacinth in Roy Clake’s "Keeping Up Appearances". He was married to la Drabble from 1960 to 1975.
Bish Bosh - luvverly!

18 comments:

Roses said...

*sticks fingers in ears*

LALALALALALALALALA!

I can't believe you'd publish this sensitive information on the internet.

I wouldn't open the door to any men in black suits and remember you don't need your meter read, or have packages delivered.

Tsk.

dinahmow said...

And your point is...?

Rog said...

Roses: I'm the Wiki Man of Norfolk!

Dinah: Surprising parents!

Rosie said...

Acht! Now I have to look this up. It cannot be so...and I'm busy today!

Rosie said...

Crikey, you're right.

Z said...

Sorry, did you just call Dame Margaret and Clive 'sods?' That's not very polite.

Rog said...

Rosie : Thanks for being as surprised as I was.

Z: They should have called him "Doug".

Nota Bene said...

Bullseye!

savannah said...

it's called tv, sugar! i've not seen this man's show, but sounds as if he's learned the art of personality marketing very well! as an aside, a.s. byatt is one of my favorite authors! (by the by, i tend to google people the very same way! as in, who's your daddy?) xoxoxoxox

Martin said...

I hardly bear to watch the programme these days. Joe Swift is bad enough, but the yodelling Carol Klein is too much.

mig bardsley said...

Coo-er.
Byatt and Drabble are two of my favourite authors but I wouldn't want to have lived with either of them. And I suppose Poor Joe gets his funny eyes from his Dad.

Rog said...

Nota: I think the eyes prove it!

Sav: His personality marketing has missed my demographic I think!

Martin: Don't get me started! I'm all for older women on telly but they have to be good at what they do like Arlene Philips.

Mig: He was a wayward pupil I suspect.

Christopher said...

Never had these problems with Fred Streeter. Or Bill Sowerbutts. O tempora, o sods.

Rog said...

Chris: Percy Thrower would be turning and double-digging with added compost....

Unknown said...

Our Dean is Percy Throwers grandson. Still, he's a keen gardener.

Rog said...

Mike & Ann: I remember watching Percy Thrower on the BBC. No idea he would begat Deans.

Pat said...

I knew all that apart from the son. He's got Clive's eyes.
I wonder if the sisiters will ever make it up?

Steerforth said...

As someone who is as common as muck, but has spent 40 years trying to becoming classy, I can't bear to see people who were born with a silver spoon wilfully exchanging it for a plastic one.

I have many bitter memories of seeing 'Mockney' boys getting the girls eating out of their hands, whilst my 1930s public school accent was a more effective repellent than halitosis.

At least he's balder than me.

A friend's ex-boyfriend (called Darren) ended up going on holiday with AS Byatt, as he was friends with her daughter. He was a good Suffolk boy and had never heard of Byatt. I expect old Antonia found him quite refeshing.