Diver Tom Daley has been parading himself like a porn star on television, as a picture in Saturday’s Daily Telegraph made clear. It was no surprise at all to learn that the show in which he appeared in his state of ludicrous undress — see above — was hosted on ITV by the high priest of sleaze, Jonathan Ross. No doubt Tom will have used the appearance to get in some lavish plugs for his autobiography, now riding high at the top of the books charts. The lesson that sex sells has evidently been absorbed by the 18-year-old with the same attention he gave to those in Spanish, photography and maths, thereby earning himself commendable success in his A-levels .

A depressing aspect of London 2012 came in observing in the all-too-evident sexualisation of sport these days. How tiresome it was to read about the quantity of eye-candy, of both sexes, at the various venues. And I refer only to what appeared in the two once-staid titles I read, The Times and the Daily Telegraph.

Most days, it seemed, there were articles about, for instance, Prince Harry’s enthusiastic attendance — nudge, nudge — at the beach volleyball, or gymnast Louis Smith’s daring nude photoshoots, or the hunky American swimmers who were getting the girls — and not a few boys — in a lather across the world.

It is a matter understood that activities pursued by good-looking young people, in clothing designed to show them at their best, can be a source of considerable interest for admirers of the human form. In the past, though, it was considered not quite the thing to harp on about it.