The story was sparked by a Guide Entry*
posted by a certain Dangerous Dan McGrew. I combined this with my experience of IR35 and remembrances of one of the more outrageous schemes put forward, tongue in cheek (perhaps), for circumventing the regulations. Whether or not anyone has put the dummy contracts idea * into practice, I could not say. No one in my circle, certainly – or if they have, they are keeping pretty damn quiet about it. But then, I suppose they would, involving as it does conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion – and that’s just for starters.

I created Harry and Siobhan some years ago in some jottings that were never published but which I later converted into a Guide Entry. I have given some thought to casting, as one does. For this particular outing (and without prejudice to future outings), Siobhan was always Janet Dibley, her out of ‘Just Good Friends’ and more recently, 'Fat Friends'. Her short-cropped hair, elfin looks, less than perfect dental work and legs to die for make her ideal for the part.

Harry was more problematical, and no, Harry is not me – would that he were, though it has to be said there are some similarites. For example, like Harry, I am working and drawing a pension and, yes, that does mean paying 40% tax and NI - until the NI drops out * and okay, yes, I am a bit of a leg fetishist. But I deviate (no pun intended). Back to casting. After briefly flirting with Michael Caine*, Tom Courtney* and Trevor Howard*, I settled on Peter Bowles, of 'To the Manor Born', also, and perhaps more appropriately, 'The Bounder'. Peter Bowles is absolutely spot on. He is the right sort of age and has the right sort of look about him - swept-back hair, hooked nose etc, moustachioed, handsome and debonair with a touch of wickedness. Not sure of Harry's background, apart from contracting, but he’s done well at it over the years. Well enough, at any rate, to have a cleaning lady (cash only) who has, in the fullness of time, metamorphosed into a cleaning lady/part-time mistress, name of Siobhan, who may or may not wear pink socks.

Matthew Crawford, Harry's accountant, was always Matt Crawford from The Archers but only for his voice and manner of speaking. For his looks, I went for Michael Cochrane, currently playing Oliver Sterling in The Archers.