Reader Millington

I'll tell you something about that, something you won't find interesting at all.

At a Week Ending writers' meeting some time in the late Eighties, a bloke ended his pitch for a sketch he'd done with "with hilarious consequences." This raised a hearty guffaw all round - none of those present had come across this ironic use of the cliché before - and the producer went for his sketch, pretty much on the back of that comment.

Comedy writers being the thieving vultures they are, I watched (well, heard, obviously) this remark flow outwards until it became 'traditional'. But I still maintain that this guy thought it up. But I can't remember his name. But he was lanky and wore glasses, if that's any help.