Simon Hoggart Has Died

[sunny-dave]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-25620824

A sad loss - I've enjoyed his writing and broadcasting over many years - probably the best of the modern day Parliamentary Sketch writers.

[lady-janine]

so very sad and far too soon.

[Sqad]

Yes dave a very witty and knowledgeable bloke.

Pancreatic cancer is one to steer clear of..........

[chrissa1]

Sad news.

[EcclesCake]

A sad loss indeed, I'm surprised to read that it so long ago that he stopped doing The News Quiz though!

[jno]

apparently (an insider told me) he used to get incandescent when readers wrote in to his editors suggesting he'd got something wrong. Considering the amount of time he spent sneering at politicians, perhaps this indicates he could dish it out but he couldn't take it.

For instance, he once wrote something justifiying newspapers sniggering at adultery by politicians. A couple of weeks later, his own adultery was revealed and apparently he changed his views quickly. I remember Private Eye pointing out the contradiction at the time.

[toalisi]

What you say jno may well be true but is today the time to voice it?

[jno]

this is not a thread for his friends and family to read, so my second-hand knowledge is as good as anyone's.

Remember, this was a man whose career consisted of being rude about people.

[mikey4444]

toalisi...I agree...not today. I shall miss him. Sandi does a good job on the News Quiz, but not a patch on this chap. Hadn't realised he was ill.

[boxtops]

They've just been reading out some of his work on PM on the radio, especially his parliamentary vignettes.

[Peter Pedant]

.

which Simon was the ancient music fella ?
No not Simon Rattle - he conducts

[Zeuhl]

pp

simon preston?

he's still pumping his organ into life

[Zeuhl]

pp

David Munro was quite well known and died quite young back in the 70s

[Peter Pedant]

z. thanks I think you're right

I dunno Y I thought David was a Simon - age probably