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Rupert Goodwins' Diary

Rupert Goodwins AnchorDesk

Published: 05 Apr 2002 15:57 BST

Monday 1/04/2002

It's Easter Monday. It's April Fools' Day. I wouldn't worry about the theological significance too much -- but we're due a new Pope soon, have a new Archbish of Cant. on the way, and the Dalai Lama's been a bit peaky. To say nothing of goings-on out east. Perhaps something apocalyptic is brewing.

To underline that point, a Web site appears in the wake of the demise of Grandmother Number One. Without going into too many details, it predicts the imminent return of said Edwardian lady at the right hand of some deity or other: unfortunately, the site is a rather too accurate replica of a BBC Online news page and thus disappears somewhat quicker than ma'am's famed 11:45am G&T drinky-poos.

Personally, I think Spike Milligan drew a rather better bead on the real nature of the eternal verities than most, and fully expect him and Peter Cook to herald the End Times by appearing in a cloud of glory at the Hackney Empire. Now there's a religion I'd take as seriously as it took itself.