We took pa-in-law to see Nicholas Parsons’ one man show, A Laugh A Minute, last night, and he couldn’t help comparing the performer’s youthful looks to himself after calculating that they must be around the same age. While pa-in-law suffers from age-related ailments which cause him to walk with a limp, experiencing pain and breathlessness, and is hard of hearing, Nicholas seems to have retained his boyish figure, a good head of hair,  sharp hearing and sprightliness, as well as a fast, natural wit.

I double checked my figures after discovering that Nicholas is almost 88 years old, and still going strong; he is a few years older than pa-in-law who always tells us how young he still feels.

On behalf of pa-in-law and other male octogenarians, I wish I had asked Nicholas how he has  managed to avoid having a hip replacement (an assumption) and what is his secret to eternal youth.

Well done to The Brook, Soham for bringing another quality act to this Fenland town. Nicholas, who born in Grantham, is a great, natural raconteur and it was amusing to hear how he believed his GP father delivered Margaret Thatcher and that they went to the same school. Nicholas recalled that he was among a group of lads who came to her rescue when she was set upon in a playground scuffle, a young knight in shining armour who continues to shine.

*Being a member of Toastmaster where we count umms and aahs, I couldn’t resist listening out for any of these “crutches” which the originator of Just A Minute might make, but there were very few, I counted four throughout his two-hour show. Well done Nicholas!