My Greatest Mistake Bill Hagerty, editor, 'British Journalism Review'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.When I was assistant editor in charge of news at the Daily Mirror in the early 1980s, I was turned over by Joe Flynn, the con man who took a delight in fooling the press. Flynn had successfully hoaxed several papers, but few knew what he looked or sounded like.
John De Lorean, the dodgy motor-industry entrepreneur, had taken out a libel writ against us over a damning series we had run, and a phone call from Flynn, under an assumed name, had me and another executive scampering to San Remo on the promise of evidence that would torpedo De Lorean's case.
We met him at San Remo railway station, and he was utterly plausible. So much so that we parted with cash - "no cheques" was part of the deal - on the promise of documentary proof. How dumb!
I realised it was a scam before the Mirror published anything, and it didn't even cost the paper much financially - Flynn wasn't in it for the money; he just loved the charge a successful hoax gave him. But I was left with a red face, although De Lorean's writ eventually went away.
Earlier, in the mid-1970s, when I was writing mainly show-business interviews for the paper, I had lunch with Alan Price, the singer-songwriter, who had become a friend of mine. Talk turned to movies and that morning's story that a sequel to Michael Caine's Alfie was to be filmed. Who was going to get the title role in Alfie Darling, I wondered.
"I am," Alan said. I laughed. I thought that he was making a bad joke - which is what most critics thought the film was when it came out. I have to admit that when news of his casting broke a few days later, I didn't advertise the fact that he had given it to me exclusively. I did still claim the lunch on expenses, though.
'Read All About It!', Bill Hagerty's centenary history of the 'Daily Mirror', is published today by First Stone, priced £19.95
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments