Our timing was perfect. The family that had bought our little house in Birmingham was away for Christmas, so we could just move straight back in.

At first the neighbours were suspicious, but one by one we won them over. It was quite strange to see them all again. One woman admitted that she never liked me simply because I was famed for getting up early and drinking tea all day long. Now she became my friend.

Some of our Edinburgh pals were there too, including JM who was delighted to enjoy our company once more, and keen to get to know all the interesting people that I had recently met in Cheshire.

Rob Brydon and Sarah Millican even managed to find time to pop in on their way north to Sunderland for gigs the following night.

So long as the owners never returned, we’d all be very happy here.