“The greatest danger of such programmes is condescension,” he says. “But if they throw up a more demanding readership, then fine.”For the purposes of the show, the Book Club starts with a report from the author whose book is in discussion, before cutting back to the studio where two targeted celebrities talk to Richard and Judy about their impressions of the literature in question. “It wasn’t John Grisham, for instance.” Thomas Jones of the London Review of Books adds: “Perhaps the list of books could have been more inspiring, and Richard and Judy are unlikely to unmask the latest Ulysses or Gravity’s Rainbow, but it’s the quality end of easy reading.” Even George Walden, the author and scourge of cultural populism, finds nothing sinister in the R&J effect. “The list was remarkably broad, and I think it surprised a lot of observers,” says O’Connor.Including, apparently, the heavies. “The list was not particularly lowbrow,” says David Horspool of the TLS. We had to define it carefully, and we had to have something for everyone.” She took different genres – autobiography, history, comedy, literary fiction – and came up with a list that included White Mughals by William Dalrymple, Brick Lane by Monica Ali and Notes on a Scandal by Zo?eller “Eyebrows were raised,” recalls Ross But no one could write them off as “airport” novels.

“I knew that all the critics and trade were going to be watching. And her inspiration came from the UK’s 15,000 reading groups, and Oprah Winfrey’s Book Club in the US. “I’d seen the Oprah effect, and thought it could happen here,” says Ross. “At first, Channel 4 was reticent, but then I was approached by the British Book Awards to televise it. I thought, let’s link to book clubs.”The Rosses designed a 10-week Book Club feature, the idea being to focus on a “cracking read” published in the past year, and they cranked out a credible list “The first was a nightmare,” says Ross. “Some of the books have seen their sales rocket by 1,000 per cent,” adds Finnigan.

“So yet again, we’ve nailed the myth that people who watch daytime TV are by definition lacking in brain cells.”What is their magic ingredient? For it would seem that R&J mobilises the rump of British readers. Sure, the Booker, Whitbread and Orange awards shift product, but if a Publishing News survey is to be believed, an astonishing 1.8 million people have picked up books as a result of R&J exposure. “It’s wonderful for the industry,” adds Joel Rickett of The Bookseller.The R&J Book Club is the brainchild of Amanda Ross of Cactus, Richard and Judy’s production company (dynasty note: Ross co-runs Cactus with her husband Simon Ross, brother of Jonathan). Earlier this month, the show launched its “Summer Read”: six “lighter” books for holiday reading. “It’s a shorter list,” says Madeley, “but we think that all six novels are quintessentially good reads. What is really rewarding is to see so many people who don’t normally buy books going into shops and asking for all six.” And of course, the new list has already turbo-boosted sales.