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Rev

Hapless inner-city incumbent Adam Smallbone (Tom Hollander) is, possibly, today's most-discussed British church leader.

BBC2's new comedy series Rev. came to an end this week, having attracted audiences of up to 2 million.

'Are you watching Rev.?' has become a regular opening line beside the CPAS water-cooler. And it seems that quite a lot of us have been, with varying degrees of approval and identification.

Colleagues with backgrounds in parish ministry seem to recognise the Smallbones' exhausting experience of all-hours bell-ringing (at the vicarage door, not in the belfry), accompanied by frequently bizarre requests for help, food, coffee and cash.

Ditto the surge of new worshippers following news of a good Ofsted report at the church school.

A friend who's a Venerable assures me his management style is almost as terrifying as that of the show's vulpine Archdeacon Robert. I'm hoping his tongue was in his cheek.

At the heart of the show is the crumpled figure of Adam, struggling to find his way through a maze of responsibilities and temptations.

Interestingly, scriptwriter James Wood is at pains to emphasise Adam's sense of having been called by God to a role that, in human terms, is nigh on impossible...

So, to which segment of the CPAS 'leadership doughnut', should we be directing Adam's attention?

Any ideas?

Meanwhile (on the Archdeacon's orders) I've offered Adama complimentary subscription to Church Leadership - and am hoping he'll be back with Series 2 before long.