SWINDON LITERARY FESTIVAL: Litigation, deteriorating television and radio and a university life to envy, were subjects which were dealt with by former Private Eye editor Richard Ingrams.

In front of a packed out Arts Centre audience, the Scourge of the Establishment talked about school publications he worked on in his early days, describing them as "long accounts of cricket matches and subjects brought up in school debating societies".

With public-school boy charm and wit, he described his short-lived yet successful theatre career alongside characters like Spike Milligan and Willie Rushton as well as his single but memorable experience of the modern left spitting at Rolls Royces. It was clear that running Private Eye was the finest time of his career when it was produced by 'funny people just sitting around', but the many libel actions, particularly by Sir James Goldsmith wore him down.

He described the day he handed over the mantle of editor to Ian Hislop, saying, "When I announced Ian was taking over there was a tremendous uproar, particular because he was so short. Many were influenced by appearances."

By Anthony Osbourne