Monkey can't wait to sample the forthcoming Little Dorrit, the BBC serial of the sprawling Charles Dickens novel. But it is likely to be a big commitment - the 1988 film, split into two parts, was six hours long. Andrew Davies's production diary in the Observer was a fine recounting of how the latest Little Dorrit was put together. It was also notable for this gem about how to handle the departing BBC head of fiction, the forthright Jane Tranter:
18 Months Ago: E&O restaurant, London W11
"I'm having dinner with the BBC's Jane Tranter. The food is Asian fusion, and I let her do all the ordering. It generally works out best that way."
