I’ve started shouting “Binky”. To start with I couldn’t think where Binky had come from. I very rarely tic things that aren’t actual words, but I just couldn’t remember what Binky meant or where I’d heard it before. As it turned out, not knowing was better than the embarrassing truth when I eventually worked it out.

Binky is a character in an American children’s TV programme called ‘Arthur’. It’s a cartoon that revolves around the life of an anthropomorphic aardvark and his friends. Binky is not an aardvark but an English bulldog. He’s a tough character, but secretly he’s sensitive, caring and artistic.

I’ve watched Arthur a couple of times with my friend’s children, but it’s strange that this has led to Binky joining my catalogue of tics. It’s reminded me how bizarre Tourettes can be.