Political correctness does not always take common sense into account. On the other hand, there have certainly been occasions when I have found myself saying things I wish I hadn’t.

In one of the early matches I covered at Durham, I’m afraid I made an extremely crass remark on air. I can’t remember why, but we were talking about putting on weight. I had recently seen my doctor in London and he had pointed a finger at my steadily increasing girth. He said, in the sanctity of his surgery, that it was a good idea to eat rather less and underlined his point by saying that there were not many fat people in Belsen.

I can hardly believe it, but I came up with this story at Durham. Mike Gatting, who was sitting beside me in the summariser’s chair, instantly looked round at those behind him and clearly did not know what he should say, before vigorously shaking his head in mystified horror. I also remember Mark Saggers, who had been commentating for us, wagging a formidable finger in my direction too. Oh dear – the more I thought about it, the worse it sounded and it resulted in some agitated telephone calls.