Richard Ingrams: Lord of the gnomes

An old fashioned gentleman who plays the church organ in his Berkshire village should be a pillar of the establishment. But Richard Ingrams has been its scourge for over 30 years. Conversely, a man who has harried the rich, powerful and corrupt throughout his journalistic career might be expected to show left-wing leanings. But Richard Ingrams leans to the right. He arouses strong feelings. His enemies accuse him of homophobia and anti-semitism, his admirers insist on his integrity and honesty. Gossip writers have dug into his personal life, searching for chinks in his moral armour. In this biography, the author attempts to settle the controversies surrounding the life and work of Richard Ingrams, ex-editor of "Private Eye" and current editor of "The Oldie". He draws upon the opinions of those who have worked with him over the years, including Peter Cook, Barry Humphries, John Wells, Willie Rushton, Paul Foot, Tariq Ali, Auberon Waugh, Ian Hislop and others. Ingrams in turn gives his opinion on these figures.