Former Guardian journalist Harold Jackson has revealed the author of a headline which tickled the late film critic Barry Norman but never made it into print.
Writing in a letter to The Guardian he said: “The death of Barry Norman at last allows me to correct a compliment he once paid me on Radio 4. When he was working on the Guardian I showed him an advance proof of an article about professional bakers, which noted that a major hazard of the job could be the impact of flour dust on the eyes.
“The headline on the proof was ‘Masterbaking can make you blind’ which Barry thought hilarious and attributed to me.”
Jackson said it was in fact a provisional headline offered by features subeditor Stewart Wavell. He said that as head of the department he was sadly obliged to substitute it for something rather less colourful.
Picture: Reuters/Suzanne Plunkett
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