We have been toning it down, cutting that joke, sandpapering things to avoid getting into trouble. It was his writing ability that really drove his enemies nuts. A short time later he left the Today programme, and he was one of my very proudest signings for The Spectator. I grieve for him, and for Alicia, and the children, and for all of us who read and loved him. Let’s hope aspiring columnists learn his lesson: to be both funny and truthful, you also have to be brave.