4th July 2010

4th July - an important day for the Americans. In 10 days it will be an important day for the French. And for the English? Exactly. Why are we all so different? Although the French are noted for their lack of irony, an unknown called Darren Tulett is the television presenter fast becoming France's most famous Briton. Following the world cup debacle, he introduced a Monty-Python-type programme called "Match of Ze Day". Whilst Sarkozy called a crisis meeting and held talks at the Elysée with striker Thierry Henry, Mr Tulett was teaching self-deprecation. Although the highbrow Le Monde says the dysfunctional French team is a 'mirror' of French society – selfish, money-grabbing and 'split into clans', Tulett brings a TV montage showing "Zidane is rubbish" - the country's most recent superstar.
Tulett's show is now a hit on Canal Plus, France's premium pay-TV channel with around eight million subscribers. With all our disillusion with the English team, at least we wanted them to win, unlike the French, who actually wanted their team to lose! Something had to be done. So meet Britain's most unlikely unofficial ambassador. Tulett says "At least a dozen French strangers have stopped me in the street to say: 'I never much liked the English, but you have reconciled me with England."
Who'd have thought it.