Ned Sherrin Dies

Many moons ago my now ex-partner worked for a very large dictionary publisher and was just three days away from a big press launch at Claridges Hotel London. The guest speaker was Anthony Burgess, the novelist and expert on the English language - an excellent after dinner speaker. She rings me in the middle of the night in hysterics - Anthony Burgess has just died "what am I going to doooo!"
"Well," I says, rather sleepily, "Get someone else - it will probably work out OK."
And indeed at very short notice Ned Sherrin stepped in and like an old trouper did a fine job. As is often the way, people seem even more keen to come to an event when they realised the main man had died. It became an impromptu memorial - so good luck Ned Sherrin - where ever you are.