As you might have noticed, Michael Portillo made the trip down to Edmonton on Thursday night to tell the locals all about his life.

I reckon the key lies in that word ‘former’. As soon as he took a step back from the public eye, essentially saying ‘you know what, I’ve done this for long enough and where has it got me. fuck it’, we all liked him a little more.
I don’t just think it’s because we like to see successful people fail (ok so maybe a bit). It’s also got something to do with the fact that these people who are so unreal and live in completely different worlds suddenly show a human side.

Now Portillo’s on the TV every Thursday flirting with Diane Abbott. It’s great. Even if you don’t give a shit about what they’re talking about, there’s something heart-warming about Michael and Diane wedged on a ridiculously small sofa together, talking to the guest (last week it was Speech Debelle).
Keep it up Michael Denzil Xavier Portillo, you man of the people.

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