This morning I had a wonderful experience. I was in my car, on the way to an early morning meeting with a client, when the Today programme was on Radio 4. How I love both Radio 4 – one of our national treasures and the Today programme in particular.

This morning’s show had a report on some PR from RoSPA (the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents). It was wonderful stuff! It detailed the reasons why people end up in casualty departments of local hospitals. This year, the biggest increase in reasons for accidents occurring was people slipping on wooden floors, driven by the increase in popularity of polished wooden flooring rather than carpet.

I nearly crashed my car laughing at the very wonderful James Naughtie (very apt name this morning) who couldn’t get out a sentence because of a fit of the giggles. Not something you’d usually associate with a cutting edge reporter who is used to clashing swords with the slipperiest of politicians. Most of the time, he’s serious, challenging, sometimes even brutal with his questioning technique. He’s always human though. I never thought I’d ever like John Humphrys new partner after the death of Brian Redhead but I find myself ever more attracted to the style of this charming and clearly kind (and dog-loving) Scot.

The reason for his predicament? The report’s coverage of the rise in ‘trouser related incidents’ which apparently have gone up from 4,500 last year to 9,000 this year. This is actually because of the return of the bell-bottom among teenagers. (Though why that is I’ll never know, my memory of them is they get cold and wet and the wetness creeps up the flares and onto your knees before you’ve a chance to say ‘James Naughtie’.) However, whether they are good or bad fashion items, they are disastrous for the folks who get their feet caught in the hem and fall over. 9,000 of them ended their fall in casualty in the latest year. I wonder how much good that does for the wearer’s street-cred?

Coincidentally, there is a connection between the client I’ve been to see, myself and the Today programme……

One of the highest accolades EVER given to me in my career is the MD of this particular company who once told me in a presentation that I was just like John Humphrys. WOW! The man. That incredibly intelligent, fast-thinking reporter with a wonderful command of the English Language. Me? I doubt if I live to be 100 I will ever receive a compliment that means more to me than that comparison.

Unfortunately he didn’t mean it as a compliment though, he was ‘ticking me off’ for being doggedly determined to finish the point I was trying to make!!! Ah well, I’m still going to claim it as mine, just like Ledley King last night.

Anyway, thanks to Jim for this morning, to David for agreeing to this pose.......and as for any more stories about rises in trouser incidents? Well, I'll leave those to your imagination!