Let's start with arguably the first celebrity chef Fanny Craddock and her husband Johnny. I seem to remember that Johnny wore a monocle and a rather hangdog expression as if he was firmly under the Fanny thumb (whatever that is).
I think Johnny once said something along the lines of "everyone needs a Fanny." Maybe I've made that up but I think not. I think Johnny had much more say in what was going on in the same way as Dennis Thatcher and Russell Mael did. And if you don't know who Russell Mael is, well then the sparks will fly.
Anyway Fanny was frightening. Not the kind of person you would like to meet down a dark alley where she would probably hit you with a posh cheese omelette.
What about Ted Moult the laconic farmer who was Countryfile long before Countryfile was ever thought about, but don't tell John Craven?
Ted seemed to be the quintessential English farmer, laconic but somehow good natured. He was down to earth in spades (or should that be fork). Sadly Ted took his own life after a bout of depression.
Then there was Percy Thrower who was a kind of Charlie Dimmock of his day, although as far as I know he never wore a bra, but then again neither did Charlie Dimmock. All grins and bonhomie with a shovel and a spade I think someone parodied him as Percy Throw-up
I also remember Barry Bucknell who was Mr Do It Yourself. If you wanted a nail hammered home, Barry was your man. I couldn't have been watching closely enough because whenever I try to hammer home a nail it just goes bent and wonky.
Billy Smart had a circus. It was on telly every Christmas and it had animals. Horses with barebacked riders trotting round a tiny ring, Elephants following each other with their trunks linked and a glamorous lady riding atop.
Then there were the so called brave men who put their heads in the mouths of lions and tigers which was interesting for a few seconds until you had a feeling of So What?
Well I hope those have brought a few memories back to some. I'm sure I will return to this theme in future blogs.
Yesterday we travelled to Colchester Zoo for a family day out. I took loads of pictures and I will feature some of the better ones in tomorrow's blogs. In the meantime apologies for the late publication of today's blog as I needed a bit of a lay in after a very busy day that also saw our Bookworms team taking part in the first Bawburgh Golf Club quiz of the season.
We have been going to these quizzes for many years. We usually do well and have come first a number of times. Last night we came last. It's only the second time we have suffered the ignominy of winning the booby prize (back to Charlie Dimmock again).