Gyles Brandreth

And he treated us, well, like servants.

And he expected us, you know, we were the landlords, to do his shopping.

And I had to literally go with him to Selfridges and walk backwards in his presence at all times.

Ludicrous.

Anyway.

New Pettigrow.

I've just returned from meeting the gang at Action Research for the Crippled Child.

They have had a novel idea.

Get 100 personalities to break 100 records from the Guinness Book of Records, raising £1,000 in sponsorship each time.

I'm to make an attempt on the world record for the longest after-dinner speech.

The current holder is a Victorian clergyman, the Reverend Henry Whitehead.

He spoke at the Rainbow Tavern Fleet Street in January 1874 without pause or notes.

For just three hours.

Beat that.

I will.

Friday, the 9th of April, 1976.

What a difference 24 hours makes.

Yesterday at noon, I was dressed as a dinosaur at the Magpie toy shop in Dartford.

Today, dressed in the light grey suit in which I got married, I had lunch at the Ritz with Dennis Cannon and Nigel Patrick.

Nigel Patrick Harriot was a very distinguished English film and stage actor, known as Paddy Patrick.