We knew that he would win. Just watching Sam Greaves work around the Good Housekeeping kitchen along with the other three contestants (one had dropped out with flu) you could see he had the chops.Pro chefs, or even those like Sam just nineteen and studying food at university, have an economy of movement, a calm outer bearing and clear focus that marks them out. When his dish was presented for judging, it had the cheffy look too, one that makes the diner happy before a spoon is raised and which justifies the price on the menu.

It seems highly likely that Alex James ex Blur will have Alex James ex Blur written on his headstone, it’s the only way that people seem to refer to him. It’s a bit unfair as he has carved out a whole new niche for himself since those heady BritPop days as tweedy countryman, conductor, columnist and now of course cheese maker.

As the doors of Westfield were finally flung open for the very first time an avalanche of people crashed towards us. The Japanese photographer next to me faced them down like a big game hunter up against a herd of wildebeest, his Nikon whizzing furiously and then he was gone, swept away like a stick in a swollen river. He may still be there for all I know, washed up in a quiet backwater lying prone in the doorway of a mobile phone store.