For no apparent reason I was now living the life of an international playgirl. I was staying in the world’s best hotels. I was dating rich, handsome men from countries I had never heard of. I could ski!

My latest boyfriend took me to meet his enormous family ‘in the Alps’. There he gave me a box of ugly, and no doubt expensive, jewellery which I had to pretend to like. Later, the hairdresser had double-booked me and I caused a scene. As it became obvious that the receptionist had not been trained in handling difficult customers, I became even more incensed. I walked up endless stairs (the lift was broken) to my fabulous suite and picked up the phone to continue my complaint. The telephone lead snapped in two. I was never going to get my highlights done.