I couldn’t think of being anyone better than James Herriot in All Creatures Great and Small. I mean, there was a war on, extreme poverty and a lack of cutting edge medicine, not to mention bigotry, racism and intolerance, but hey, I’m dreaming here.

To spend your days driving around the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, working with animals, being part of such a thriving veterinary practice and having such a happy, contented home life, must have been fantastic.

Herriot was in fact a real person called James ‘Alf’ Wight. He wrote semi-autobiographical stories about his times as a vet working in the Dales. So, all of that is in fact true. What is less known is that he had a nervous breakdown and had electroshock therapy. He shunned his fame, continuing his passion for working in his beloved profession until his retirement in 1989. He died six years later from prostate cancer aged 79.

I’ve had a pretty good life and career myself mind. I spent 25 years working in education, teaching art and design, and working with kids was always a real joy for me. I love art and still practice, though I’m less inclined to sell my work and am happy pottering around. I’ve had a blissfully happy home life with my second wife too, since my divorce in 2001 after a difficult first marriage. My kids are both grown up, but I love them both and we get on really well. My granddaughter Margot is a total treasure and I love her to bits.

So yes, I’d be James Herriot if I had to, but I think being Paul Carney is ok too. (My own collection of autobiographical short stories is available on Amazon.)