Free: two books, with the 'Independent on Sunday' print edition on 23 November and 30 November

Jungle's Martina will be hoping they call 'Out!'

His paso doble may be a bit wonky, but John Sergeant's self-deprecation will win him a whole new television career. David Randall reports

The great blubbing debate has just moved to a new, decisive phase, with those of us who hold that crying in public is almost always a form of showing off in danger of being swept away on a tide of tears.

If the judges had their way, the former political reporter would have exited 'Strictly Come Dancing' long ago. But audiences love him

Jeremy Lee represents media after-dinner speakers. Amol Rajan finds out who commands the highest fees

I could tell that Matthew was distracted when I phoned him in London. I wanted to give him the news that I had been asked to be a steward at the flower show in the village in Dorset where we have our cottage.

So, Arthur Daley is back. Dolly good show!

Perhaps this is an insight into a peculiarly metropolitan existence, but walkers and bangers have been a major preoccupation this week. It's not often that Esther Rantzen and Gok Wan sum up the predicament of today's girl-about-town, but bear with me.

AS A MAN whose career has moved easily between television, advertising and politics, Shaun Woodward should not find the switch from the Tories to New Labour too much of an upheaval.

Television drama has three eternal verities, four if you add Verity Lambert, the producer who is still going strong, aeons after bringing us Dr Who and Rock Follies. But I was thinking of cops, docs and frocks. To stand a reasonable chance of being commissioned, a drama should contain one of these components. By cleverly combining two, like the cop doc, Dangerfield, or the frocked cop, Cadfael, or the doc in a frock, Bramwell, it will almost certainly get a smashing prime-time slot and the cover of Radio Times.

LAST WEEK, Cherie Booth chaired a conference set up by the charity Childline. The final scene of the conference was a fine example of empty glitz and razzmatazz.