The well choreographed Mark Owen affair unfolding in the British papers is a lesson in how celebrity indiscretions can be managed without apparent loss of reputation or a dent in earning power.

The photos of sad, charmingly scruffy Owen, reflecting we imagine, his tortured, repentant state – his downcast yet forgiving wife at the door of their Wandsworth home – it’s so right, it could be from a Take That Christmas video.

And there’s the killer reference to Robbie Williams, Owen’s pal who is helping him through his alcohol problems – the perfect image reference point. Whoever put this together is some sort of PR Jedi.

The Tiger Woods affair(s), on the other hand was not so much image management, as a cautionary tale. Woods finally hired a PR adviser this week – Ari Fleischer whose previous clients include..George W Bush.

Fleischer has some experience of golf related issues – back in 2002 it was Bush’s antics on the golf course rather than off it that caused a few red faces, specifically this video clip:

“Now watch this drive“: