While getting ready for work in the mornings, I used to enjoy watching Everybody Loves Raymond and Cheers on Channel 4. There's something magical about old sitcoms that just draws you in, and for some reason I find them much easier to watch than a lot of modern sitcoms.

Having seen every episode of Everybody Loves Raymond, and yes, there are a lot, and pretty much every episode of Cheers, I was on the hunt for something similar to watch.

Flicking through the channels one morning, I found the classic British sitcom The Upper Hand on Comedy Central, and by some miracle they'd only just started the first episode.

Perfecto!

Of course, I'd seen episodes over the years and sort of knew what it was about, but I'd never actually sat down and watched it properly from the start.

The Upper Hand stars Joe McGann as Charlie Burrows, a retired footballer turned housekeeper, Diana Weston as Caroline Wheatley, a divorced advertising executive, and the world-famous Bond girl Honor Blackman as Caroline's mother, Laura.

For a show that first aired in 1990, it actually feels surprisingly ahead of its time. Of course, you can't escape the very 90s decor, clothes and attitudes, but that's also part of its charm. More than 35 years later, it's still an incredibly easy and enjoyable watch.

I also recently learnt that The Upper Hand is actually a British remake of the American sitcom Who's the Boss?, starring Tony Danza and Judith Light. They didn't just remake the basic idea either, many of the original stories and scripts were adapted for a British audience.

Watching Joe McGann also reminded me of a random encounter I had with him back in the mid-90s.

I was a young brash student at the time and spotted him at Leeds train station. In my typically subtle Yorkshire way, I walked over and said:

"Are you that bloke off the telly?"

He looked up from his newspaper and replied, "Yes, I am."

To which I responded, "Nice one," gave him a thumbs-up and walked away.

Years later, I read that being famous and constantly recognised wasn't always easy for him around that period, which made me think back to our incredibly intellectual conversation at Leeds station.

I'm sure some random student pointing at him and shouting, "You're that bloke off the telly!" really helped.

Sorry, Joe.

I'm now almost at the end of The Upper Hand, and I've reached that strange point you get with a long-running sitcom where I'm already starting to miss the characters before I've even finished it.

Part of me thinks they could easily do some sort of reunion special. I'd certainly watch it, but it really wouldn't be the same without Honor Blackman. For me, Laura is the glue that holds the whole thing together. She gets some of the best lines, causes half the trouble and regularly says exactly what everyone else is thinking.

It's strange how a sitcom from 1990 that I randomly stumbled across while getting ready for work has ended up becoming part of my morning routine.

Now I just need to decide what comes next.

Keeping Up Appearances or 2point4 Children?

I’ve always encouraged my kids that if they don’t ask, they won’t get.

Many a time they’ve asked if they can buy something, and I’ve surprised them by saying, “Yep, go on. Get the game. Get the sweets. Get the toy.”

It can get frustrating with young kids, but I’ve always tried to instil the idea that if they don’t ask, the answer will always be no.

With my background in sales, asking became second nature. I was always looking for the close.

“How does that sound? Shall we get you signed up?”

Or, if I was feeling cheeky...

“Pass us your bank card then, let's get you signed up.”

Usually followed by a cheeky wink.

I must have said those words thousands of times.

Over the years, they’ve often heard about my mythical ability to ask for a discount wherever I go. Of course, I’m not talking about your high street chains. You can ask for a discount in Sainsbury’s if you like, but they’ll probably just stare at you before politely telling you no.

Independent shops are different.

So are certain chain stores.

And if the sales staff work on commission, they’re usually more than happy to hear you out.

On a recent trip, we popped into an independent shop that had these amazing bowls my wife instantly fell in love with.

Out of habit, I asked, “Any chance you could knock a few quid off?”

He smiled and said, “Yeah, no worries.”

The look on my kids’ faces was priceless.

Equal parts shock and surprise.

I don’t know what surprised them more. The fact that I’d actually asked... or the fact he’d actually agreed.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m more than happy to pay full price, especially in independent shops, provided I’m not being overcharged.

This wasn’t really about saving a few quid.

It was about confidence.

The confidence to ask the question, knowing the worst thing someone can say is no.

I always remember one of my university tutors saying to me after class, “I know you ask a lot of questions, but please don’t stop. If you don’t know the answer, chances are someone else doesn’t either.”

Oddly enough, that one conversation gave me the confidence to put my hand up in a packed 300-seat lecture theatre and ask for clarification without worrying what anyone else thought.

Maybe that’s the real lesson.

Whether it’s asking a question in a lecture theatre, asking for help, or asking if someone can knock a few quid off a bowl...

You’ll never know unless you ask.

Although, judging by the look on my kids’ faces, I suspect they took away a completely different lesson.

I might have just created a couple of little hagglers.

God help us all.

It’s one of the highest-rated TV shows on IMDb, yet I’ve tried numerous times to start watching it with absolutely no success. Until now, I’d never made it past the first episode.

The show completely passed me by back in 2002, along with several other classics from that era like Spooks, The West Wing and Stargate SG-1. I was younger then and spent most of my time out with friends before getting married, rather than sitting in front of the TV.

If The Wire had come out a few years earlier or a few years later, I’m convinced I would have watched every episode as it aired.

Watching it now, 24 years on, it definitely feels like a product of its time. CRT monitors, flip phones and... was that an actual typewriter in the first episode?

Madness.

One of the biggest surprises has been the cast. Dominic West, Idris Elba, Lance Reddick, Wendell Pierce, Domenick Lombardozzi and even a very young Michael B. Jordan.

The list just keeps going.

What’s strange is that I know most of them from things they did later. Dominic West from The Affair, Idris Elba... well, everything. Wendell Pierce from Suits. Domenick Lombardozzi from pretty much every mob drama ever made, especially as Chickie in his brilliant role in Tulsa King.

So, I’m now two episodes in.

That’s already further than I’ve ever made it before, which has to be a good sign.

Now I just need to find out whether it really deserves that incredible 9.3 IMDb rating.

When I heard that Joe Jameson and Carl Prekopp were returning to narrate the audiobook of Four Worlds of Bertie Cavendish, I almost exploded with excitement.

I first read this when it was released back in 2021 and absolutely loved it. I've always wanted more books set in the Extracted universe, and this was exactly that. It felt like catching up with old friends, with Ben Ryder, Safa Patel and Mad Harry Madden all making a welcome return.

Like any self-respecting fan, I had the audiobook pre-ordered and was genuinely excited to wake up on 25 June and find it sitting in my Audible library, patiently waiting for me.

Because it's been a few years since I first read it, I'd forgotten most of the story.

And that's never a bad thing.

I've always said the best way to enjoy a book or a film is to know as little about it as possible. You only get one chance to experience those twists for the first time.

Fight Club was ruined for me by a friend, who I'll never forgive. Thankfully, years later I got to experience it again through my son's eyes, who had absolutely no idea what was coming. Watching someone discover a great twist for the first time is almost as good as seeing it yourself.

As Colin Morgan narrated the Worldship Humility books, hearing Yassy and Sam voiced by Carl Prekopp came as a surprise. Thankfully, he absolutely smashed it. In fact, every narrator brings something different to the characters, and it works brilliantly.

RR Haywood has mentioned on his Facebook page that WF Howes don't normally produce audiobooks with multiple narrators, so this was something new for them.

They absolutely smashed it.

This is one of those rare occasions where I'd actually recommend the audiobook over the printed book. Not because the novel isn't fantastic, but because the performances add another layer to the story that you simply don't get on the page.

Joe Jameson and Carl Prekopp don't just read the story.

They perform it.

By the end, it felt less like listening to an audiobook and more like watching a film with my ears.

Is it too soon for a re-listen?

Absolutely not.

Click. Click. Motherf***er.

It was my birthday recently, and it got me thinking about birthdays from years gone by.

Back in 1986, my old man took me to Argos to buy my birthday present. I only wanted one thing: the amazing Tomy Tonic 3D Sky Attack.

It was all the rage at the time. I'd played on a friend's and instantly knew I wanted one of my own.

It obviously had to be the red one. Never mind the game itself, red was cool when you're a six-year-old kid.

I brought it home and played with it non-stop. In fact, I played it so much that I eventually wore off the printed graphics and names on the rubber buttons. Looking back, I probably made a significant contribution to the UK's AA battery consumption during the 1980s.

Fast forward exactly 40 years and I still have it.

It's the pride and joy of my retro gaming collection. It's battered, old, tatty and worn out, but the moment I hear that start-up sound, it unlocks a flood of memories that have been tucked away for decades.

These days it lives safely in the loft, but every now and then I bring it down for a quick play. Much to my amazement, my kids enjoy it too.

I think that's the beauty of toys like this. You switch it on and it just works.

No updates.

No loading screens.

No internet connection.

No downloading a 50GB patch before you can start playing.

You turn it on and you're ready to go.

I'd love to own the entire Tomy Tonic range and maybe one day I'll spend far too much time trawling eBay looking for examples in decent condition.

Mike Humber is back.

After the events of Huntington House, all the poor bloke wants is a quiet life, a bit of work and somewhere to stay while he earns some money.

Naturally, being Mike Humber, that’s not what happens.

This time he takes a job as a night watchman at a fish processing plant and private dockyard. Which sounds simple enough. Keep an eye on things, earn a wage and try not to get involved in anything too dramatic.

Unfortunately, Mike Humber has the same relationship with trouble that magnets have with metal.

In true Humber fashion, he finds himself dragged, seemingly against his will, into some very dodgy business. Or does he?

One of the things I love about RR Haywood’s books is that you’re never entirely sure what’s really going on. Every time you think you’ve got things figured out, another clue appears and sends you back to square one.

After reading Huntington House, I spent most of this book on edge. RR Haywood had already taught me not to trust my own theories, so I found myself questioning everything and everyone.

The clues are there throughout the story. You can see them if you’re paying attention. The problem is working out which clues matter and which ones are there to make you look silly.

Then, in true RR Haywood fashion, everything comes together.

And suddenly all those little details that seemed unimportant don’t seem quite so unimportant after all.

I won’t spoil anything, but if you’re a fan of Mike Humber or RR Haywood’s knack for pulling the rug out from under you, you’re in for a treat.

Just don’t trust anybody.

Especially the fish. 5/5

I'm currently reading The Undead series by RR Haywood and I'm absolutely hooked. If you like zombie films, zombie books or anything involving the end of the world and people making terrible decisions, you need to give these books a go.

The story follows a Tesco supermarket manager, Howie, whose quiet life is interrupted by a full-blown zombie apocalypse. As it does.

Reading the books got me thinking about what I'd do if the undead ever turned up on my street. More importantly, it got me thinking about how Sikhs would cope.

After careful consideration, several cups of cha and absolutely no scientific research whatsoever, I've come to the conclusion that Sikhs would do just fine.

Here are five reasons why.

1. Armed

2. Enough Food to Feed a Small Nation

3. The Secret Garage Survival Kit

4. Seva Would Keep Everything Running

5. Gurdwaras Would Become Safe Zones

Final Thoughts