The rise and rise of Brian Cox

The science guy I mean, of course, not the actor. Brian Cox is so hot at the moment he'd probably find the heart of the sun a bit chilly. Last week David Attenborough, arguably the most eminent and respected living Englishman, was being given a lifetime achievement award by the toothy one, and took the opportunity to anoint the latter as his successor in the field of popularising science. Our Brian admitted later he had been rendered "speechless" (surely an unusual position for him to occupy) by this tremendous accolade.

It cannot be denied that the good professor has had an amazing career. In 1997, the year he was awarded his PhD, he was also riding high in the charts with Dee Ream, and indeed the labour party had chosen one of its songs (Things Can Only Get Better) as its anthem for their general election campaign (pity; things actually got a lot worse in lots of ways, but that's another story) It goes to show the apparently endless fund of energy the kid from Oldham has at his disposal. Since then he has lost the big hair, but been made a professor of physics; into the bargain his has become become one of the best known faces on British television

However, despite my reluctance to take issue with any pronouncement made by Saint David of the Gorillas, I feel I must say Brian has a very long way to go before he even comes near to approaching his giant stature. David was popularising science in the 1950s with his TV series Zoo Quest. And it was David Attenborough who awarded me with my medical degree in 1974, nearly 2/3 of a lifetime ago. He was in Liverpool that day to receive an honorary DSc for his outstanding contribution to the field of science in general and zoology in particular. And that was years before we had Life on Earth (the programme that made me purchase my first colour TV), The Living Planet and countless other nature programmes which have enriched the lives of millions around the world.

Last week the Beeb ran a programme filmed in the historic lecture theatre of the Royal Institution called A Night with the Stars, hosted by guess who, where the audience was peppered with celebs waiting to assist the young pretender in various fascinating little science experiments. To me it was a Cox too far. We used to have the Christmas lectures from the RI, which featured ordinary children assisting the speaker and often, as children do, asking the best questions. Now it seems we have to have a crew of comedians, actors and other members of the glitterati to do the same thing,. Why? Ratings is the answer I suppose, but I think it demonstrates how far Brian has gone in his quest to be on the TV almost every week. And Brian, it takes more than exposure to make you an immortal like the great David. Brian, you've got a long, long way to go, but I wish you well. You're on the way, and who could begrudge you your stellar success?.