Richard Madeley In many ways the star of Richard & Judy can seem normal. He is a professional television presenter with a solid news background and a gift for chatting amiably with guests. He always seems intensely curious about things in general, and people in particular, which is a sure sign of eccentricity. But it is his manner which is the real clue, his ability to blow hot and cold. Consider the way he told a bewildered Ricky Gervais to 'f--- off' recently, while presenting him with an award at the British Book Awards. Tabloids have compared Madeley with Alan Partridge. 'The chat-show host's deranged ramblings are too similar to those of comic Steve Coogan's spoof character to be a coincidence,' one wrote. The paper added that Madeley might just be a genius in the way he can baffle audiences and guests alike. To the actor David Suchet (whom he kept calling John) he said: 'We are us. We go home as us, we come in as us. If you go home, you're playing Lear, and you are taking the character home, what does that do to you? You might go home as Judy.'