IT’S a curious fact that Pippa Middleton and I have something in common.

A few weeks ago, the delicate Minogueish derriere of the Duchess of Cambridge’s sister, thanks, in part to the white dress she wore on the day of the royal nuptials, almost put her sister in the shade when it came to the post-wedding talking points.

But this week, surprisingly, Pippa failed to unseat Ms Carol Vorderman when it came to winning the Rear of the Year award.

Now a glance at the mirror convinces me that there are bigger things in the world to concern oneself with than their rumps. Or indeed that of the Strictly hoofer Anton du Beck whose own gluteal rump took the male title. But, with hindsight, the outcome does prompt serious reflections that I cannot sit on.

• First, whatever one’s view of those particular posteriors, posterity may regard the Vorderman triumph as a body blow against ageism. The 50-year old had the cheek to leave the 27-year-old in her wake.

• Secondly, despite the award of a title for the male tail, even in these times of greater equality the female award still grabs the greater national attention. Is that sexist?

• Thirdly, the winners honed their shapes by exercise, not surgery.

• And fourthly, it was wit or good sense that brought them into the public eye in the first place. The title may be little more than the butt of a joke but Carol’s response to winning – “I always suspected there were a lot of people out there who were glad to see the back of me” – was perfectly formed.

Oh and what is it that Pippa Middleton and I have in common?

We inspire the same response in others. It’s along the lines of: “What a backside!”

Or would be if you substituted that last word for a shorter one that begins with an ‘a’.