View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Comment
October 25, 2007

McEntee tries to give the drinks A mis

By Axegrinder axeblog

At 78, Mail columnist Keith Waterhouse has become so curmudgeonly that he rarely ventures out of his Earl’s Court garret and declines virtually all invitations to social gatherings.

Last week his friend John McEntee of the Daily Mail ‒ described by Keith as “my social secretary” ‒ managed to lure him to his favourite restaurant in Knightsbridge to have lunch with former Mirror colleagues Mike Molloy, John Penrose (soon to be the ex-Mr Anne Robinson) and John Edwards.

All went swimmingly as they enjoyed pre-lunch drinks on the restaurant’s terrace. With the clock ticking and McEntee the only one who was obliged to return to work, he suggested that they might adjourn to the table and take a glance at the menu.

Waterhouse gave him a withering look and asked the loquacious Irishman if he knew what Kingsley Amis described as the worst phrase in the English language. It was: “Shall we go straight in?”

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network