Brook points out that Smith, and her successor, Peter Samson have both worked on the Sun’s Bizarre column, the principle gossip page in a paper that is owned by a man who mainlines on gossip. He reminds us that Bizarre is regarded as a stepping stone to higher places and has spawned a lot of hacks who have gone on to greater things.

Smart’s predecessor (as deputy editor) Victoria Newton, became Head of Features, and former Bizarre editor, Piers Morgan went on to edit the News of the World and the Daily Mirror.

Dominic Mohan, another Bizarre ex-editor, is now deputy editor of the Sun and the most likely candidate to succeed Rebekah Wade when she lifts her shapely bottom from the editor’s chair for the last time.

Since he more than touched on the subject, I wonder why Brook didn’t mention that one of the most prominent alumni of the Sun’s Bizarre column is David Cameron’s media man and head doorkeeper, Andy Coulson, the man who, as editor of the News of the World, saw two of his journalists go to jail for illegally pursuing Royals, while claiming he’d no idea what they’d been up to (oh yeah?).

What’s going on at the Guardian? Why are they coy about reminding readers of his provenance? Perhaps they’re just being nice to Andy to keep a foot in the door at Conservative Central Office, and get plenty of access to the doings of Cameron’s Cuddly Party. At least they won’t have to keep up the pretence for long. Cameron can’t take Coulson to Downing Street with him.