I think it’s safe to say the seagull has crash-landed. After a lovely flight, being shortlisted for the finals of the Peel Talent/Ambassador Cruise Line playwriting competition, The Seagull Has Landed didn’t claim the top spot.

Which means I won’t be heading off on a cruise to see it performed on board the Ambition ship in 2026.

There was a rather nice trip to Liverpool Docks to enjoy a script-in-hand reading and get treated to a tour and some lovely treats, but that was as far as its journey went on this outing.

It’s always best to be philosophical about these things, I find – who wants an all-expenses-paid cruise anyway? – so I shall just be grateful that the play made it to the shortlist, and hope there’s another life for it somewhere out there.

Meanwhile, I’ve got some books that need promoting…