I felt like a psychiatrist who had struck gold with his first patient and didn’t have a

I felt like a psychiatrist who had struck gold with his first patient and didn’t have a clue what to do about it.At one point, I tried to cheer him up by telling him I had enjoyed seeing him in pantomime in Liverpool, and then I recalled the joke about going up men’s trousers, so I told him about that too, and how my father had said he had never said any such thing. I imagined Frankie would slap himself on the wrist for his naughtiness, but he got quite indignant and said he had never said any such thing. So I found myself in the strange situation of having Frankie Howerd and my father united against me, even though I was convinced both were wrong Maybe that was why he didn’t put a hand on my knee. He sensed my father’s disapproval.But the person I sometimes think of is that little girl whom Frankie Howerd told to see him again in 10 years. I sometimes think it might have the makings of a good dramatic episode Imagine if she stored away that injunction in her teens.

Imagine what would have happened if, 10 years later, now a lovely young woman, she had presented herself to him and said: “You told me to come back in 10 years, and here I am!”And imagine how she would have felt, not knowing he was gay, when he gave her the instant brush off and ran a mile.Another of his victims, like me
More from Miles Kington. St George for England – and let’s keep racism out of it

St George for England – and let’s keep racism out of it
Sir: I was very disappointed to read Peter Stanford perpetuating the myth that the flag of St George, and Englishness in general, are associated with racism and the BNP (“Cry God for Harry, England, and Saint who exactly?”, 23 April).This is trotted out every year on 23 April, and is quite distressing for those of us who see ourselves as English The B in BNP stands for “British” Racists have always wrapped themselves in the Union Flag. To link Englishness with racism is grossly unfair.I think that many of the inhabitants of England’s two nearest neighbours see themselves as Scottish or Welsh first, and British second (if at all?) .. and there is nothing wrong with that. They celebrate their national flags with pride.Equally, I think you would be very surprised to find out how many people see themselves as English these days, rather than British. It is the tag “British” that has become tainted with racism and xenophobia.It would be nice, on St George’s Day to see Englishness celebrated for once. St George may well be a purely fictitious character, but that doesn’t matter a jot.

His day is supposed to be one of celebration, not an excuse to drag up spurious slurs against Englishness.STUART CLARKE Stoke Poges, BuckinghamshireSir: Philip Hensher (23 April) is showing his urban liberal prejudices by stating that the idea of holding a St George’s Day parade is “perfectly absurd”. Witness after witness on the programme said that Frankie Howerd tried to have sex with every young man he met. Well, I met Frankie Howerd, and he showed no interest in seducing me at all No wonder I feel besmirched and belittled. So today, I would like to take the chance of putting the record straight and giving you the background to the time I was not a sex victim of Frankie Howerd.
I don’t think I had any idea at the time that he was homosexual All I knew was that he was a very funny man. When I was still a child, I had seen him in pantomime in Liverpool, the nearest big city to where I grew up, and it became a family tradition every year to traipse the 30 miles through Chester and Birkenhead to go and see such stars as Arthur Askey, or Jewell and Warris. It was probably the only time I ever saw comedians in the flesh before I grew up.After all this time, there are only two things I can remember about Frankie Howerd’s performance. Having seen Saturday’s Channel 4 programme on Frankie Howerd’s private sex life, I feel degraded and humiliated, and would like to put the record straight.

Gordon Brown is no longer sackable and other colleagues are demanding some of the licence which he has always enjoyed. Over the past seven years, Mr Brown has regularly vented his dissatisfaction with the PM; acting, in Alastair Campbell’s phrase, “like an out-of-control colossus”. Until recently, no other minister would have dared to imitate him. That has changed.Peter Hain and Charles Clarke have always shared three characteristics: ambition, truculence and vanity. There is now a fourth: public fed-upness with Tony Blair over his change of mind on the EU constitution referendum. It has been reported that Mr Clarke gave the PM a bawling-out, and Mr Hain has done nothing to conceal his dissatisfaction.