Meet the Romans, AA Gill and life's little ironies

Sorry that I have been a bit off radar these last few days, but I have been a bit swamped in Gill-gate. I've had my say on that, and dont need to go on about it any more. But as always there are some behind the scenes ironies, which I thought it would be fun to share.

First, the Dream School connection. I was sitting at home a couple of nights ago and the phone went. It was one of the kids from Dream School (who's now gone on to college)... he and another Dream Schooler had seen the Gill piece and wanted to check that I was OK. Think about it. On tv they sometimes looked like a bunch of tearaways.. but over a year later, they're still look out for their old Latin teacher!

Then, there was the point made to me by one of my colleagues who had taken part in Meet the Romans. I cant understand, he said, why they are saying you didnt brush your hair. I was there with you at Pompeii and the hairbrush was always coming out of the bag  . . .

. . . it is I suppose, he went on, that if you are scrambling round archaeological sites, lying down in the dust of an ancient highrise, it is kind of hard (even inappropriate to look neat!)

And then there are the subtly different ways I've got support. I have been really overwhelmed with the response .. and I am pleased to have read such generous and cheering and heartwarming comments. Thank you all.

But they tend to come in one of two main forms. Either... what does it matter what she looks like? it's what she's showing us that counts. Or . . .I think she actually looks rather good anyway. In a way, I think both of those things. The programme is about content (and the stars are the Romans not M Beard). But when I look at some of the stills of the programme, I feel pretty happy about how I look. Grey, 57, but perfectly and naturally OK. Nothing special, but OK.

(And I was by the way secretly rather pleased when the Cambridge News illustrated their article on the controversy with a really awful pic of AA Gill! )