And the winner is... An Inspirational Interlude.

Amongst the tales of teary speeches, Chanel dresses and after show parties, one story from this Oscar season rather caught my attention.

That of Tom Hooper.

In 1997 Tom Hooper was directing a UK children’s drama called Byker Grove. Yesterday he woke up as an Academy Award winner as Best Director for The Kings Speech.

I wonder whether when he was working with Ant and Dec in Newcastle's East End he thought he'd go on to win an Oscar for his work?

Tom knew he wanted to be a director from the age of 12.

His first TV series was cancelled, he didn't give up. 

Byker Grove was described by some of his peers as 'not real work'; he didn't give up.

The Kings Speech was off and on for years before it was made, he didn't give up.

My Granny has this very poster proudly displayed in her kitchen. She is 84 and going strong.  

I remember the first time I noticed the additional character in this drawing. I wondered how I had missed it so many times before.

Perhaps we could all do with following the motto of Tom Hooper, and this here frog, a little more rigorously.