Alan Davies plays a successful comic with an inflated ego and secrets to hide in the latest Play For Today, but he promises his role isn’t based on anyone we know. “I didn’t base him on anyone in part

Throughout his career, our columnist has relied on the music of poetry to provide grace, wisdom and even a distraction from the sounds of war

HELLO, little one!” Penny Dauntless greeted a robin-redbreast, who cocked his head as she pushed along her trolley of post on the daily round. “How often is there such a perfect mid-December morning?”

Reading Laura Mauro’s “Japanese Toilet Ghosts” [FT459:30-35], reminded me of a less well known fear in the Western world, which –according to the modern rabbinical Internet resource site TheTorah.com

ALAMY; RADIO TIMES ARCHIVE SCIENCE FILLING A VOID ...

Our pick of your best letters and some wise words from our favourite stars…