I'll have the Vegetable Rogan Josh with Anneka Rice please.

Today in 1974: Mohammed Al-Fayed defeated George Formby in the Rhumba in the Jungle. Stung by this defeat, Formby retired from dancing for 20 years, to concentrate on his window-cleaning business. In 1994 he astounded the world by making a comeback and becoming the oldest man to win the World Dancing Championship (at the age of 84) as well as inventing an innovative grill.

Today in 2001: I started my Christmas shopping, in a radical attempt to avoid the crowds in December.

Today in 1968: Otis Redding released the prophetic, "Staring at the Stock of Ebay".

Today in 1985: Steve Davis became the first ginger person to be awarded an MBE. Several members of the establishment were outraged at this. Amongst those who returned their MBEs in disgust were Geoffrey Boycott and Tommy Cannon. Thankfully we have come a long way since then and red-heads are no longer expected to give up their seats on buses for others etc. Whether we shall ever see a ginger Prime Minister in our lifetime is a moot point however.

I wonder whatever happened to Tupperware?

It is not commonly known that Europe's ghastly 1980s 'rock anthem', The Final Countdown was written in response to a rumour that Channel 4 were planning to axe flagship afternoon gameshow Countdown. The rumours thankfully proved to be unfounded, and were thought to have emanated from Carol Vorderman's jealous stunt-double.

Up until 1971, Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture was known as the 6:12pm Overture. Critics are generally agreed that the finest recording of the work appears on the Deutsche Grammophon boxed-set: The Herbert von Karajan of Love.

Here endeth the first lesson. Tea will now be served in the vestry.