I was hugely disappointed by the first series of lauded US period drama, The Tudors. It looked lovely – ripping bodices, lush sets, buff chaps – but the storytelling was lame, it was historically innacurate and possessed some of the worst dialogue I’ve ever heard. There’s going to be a second series, and reports coming out of the US say that it will be bigger, better, saucier and sharper. If it gets any saucier we could be into porno territory, such was Henry VIII’s vigour in porking anything in a fancy dress. But there is some hope… one of the better actors in this world of ours has signed up for the forthcoming series.

Peter O’Toole has lived a life all right. He’s grizzled, getting on, but is still wonderful and still retains a real twinkle in his eye. So it’s great news that he’s signed up for the second series of The Tudors, and will at least lend it some sort of gravitas.

O’Toole is set to play Pope Paul III, in typical droll fashion.

Series two starts very soon Stateside, and it’ll be here (assuming the BBC picks it up again) later in the year.