I thought it had always been plain to see that James was the one always really desperate for fame, viz his apperearances on TV. As with many sales people he must have a highly overinflated idea of himself and a lack of awareness of how he came over as a bit of a knob/yob, but eventually that must have dawned on him and together they cooked up the shy, ditsy personality of Mrs hinch, knowing that would appeal to many insecure, dim women living dull lives. Of course that persona was very far from what Sophie is actually like, but after all they are top sales people and know exactly what appeals to a certain type of demographic.