RIP Simon Hoggart

[Danny]

Was shocked to just hear that Guardian columnist Simon Hoggart has died. Apparently he had been suffering from pancreatic cancer but went on writing almost to the end.

Hoggart was arguably the funniest parliamentary sketch writer and was expert at puncturing the pretensions of politicians of all persuasions.

 

[Aperitif]

Yep. One of the best. On a par with Frank Johnson - who also died in his early sixties I think.

 

[slowmotion]

His little book about Christmas "Round Robin " letters was a hoot..." The Hamster that loved Puccini ".

 

[swee'pea99]

A shock and a shame. I had no idea. Always enjoyed his columns. RIP indeed.

 

[rich p]

Blimey

 

[Ganymede]

I was sad too. I'd noticed his Saturday column hadn't appeared for a few weeks - said to OH only yesterday that I thought something must be wrong. His Saturday column had got very middle-aged-middle-class-blokeish recently but his parliamentary stuff has always been brilliant value.

 

[Danny]

I was sad too. I'd noticed his Saturday column hadn't appeared for a few weeks - said to OH only yesterday that I thought something must be wrong. His Saturday column had got very middle-aged-middle-class-blokeish recently but his parliamentary stuff has always been brilliant value.

True. But I still cherish the snippets of round robin Christmas letters he used to publish at this time of year.

 

[slowmotion]

True. But I still cherish the snippets of round robin Christmas letters he used to publish at this time of year.

" As I write, my wife's powder blue BMW sits on the gravel drive below my window..."

 

[Danny]

" As I write, my wife's powder blue BMW sits on the gravel drive below my window..."

...while behind me hangs the framed certificates of the 12 A* GCSEs my darling daughter was awarded in the summer, making her the top student in her school. Meanwhile Frenchie, our pet poodle, was once again awarded a best in show prize for the most imaginative dog grooming...

 

[swee'pea99]

"[Nicholas] Soames was magnificent, a vast, florid spectacle, a massive inflatable shadow minister. You could tow him out to a village fete and charge children 50p to bounce on him."

 

[slowmotion]

Damn! I lent my copy of "The Hamster...." and never got it back.