PUT THE KNIFE IN GENTLY

Here are the long-awaited memoirs of one of the most famous names in British journalism. Witty and revealing, they focus largely on intimate encounters with Hollywood legends (although some politicians and the odd villain complete the author's list of colourful acquaintances.) What makes these memoirs unique is the evident friendship -at time guarded - the writer enjoyed with his subjects. Sailing with Humphrey Bogart on his yacht the 'Santana'; candid exchanges with Grace Kelly and an uproarious home invasion by the Beatles - this and much more are recounted with a sardonic but perceptive eye. Hilarious experiences in the Army in World War Two and bizarre spells as a crime reporter and Court correspondent are the curtain-raisers to a dazzling account of life with the stars.