Peter Cook's Baby Lives On

Home to the UKs Number 1 News and Current Affairs magazine

Location: 6 Carlisle Street, W1D 3BN

Description: Private Eye is the UKs number 1 best-selling news and current affairs magazine edited by Ian Hislop.

But did you know that the forerunner to Private Eye was a school magazine edited by Richard Ingrams, Willie Rushton, Christopher Booker and Paul Foot at Shrewsbury School in the mid-1950s.

After the magazine's initial success, more funding was provided by Nicholas Luard and Peter Cook, who ran 'The Establishment' satire club, and Private Eye became a fully professional publication.

In fact it was always Peter Cook's aim to own the 'Eye' and his dream came true in the Summer of 1962 when 'Cook & Luard Productions' were offered and jumped at the chance to buy 75 of the 99 shares on offer from Andrew Osmond for 1500 quid...

Alas there was a sting in the tail...Nick Luard had personally registered all the shares in his name, with Peter blissfully unaware.

The magazine lives on and is as good as ever so why not walk past and pay homage to Peter...you're sure to get the urge to crack a joke, but of course it's unlikely to be anywhere as good as those told by Mr Cook.

Tours: The Madcap Peter Cook Tour

Themes: Literary Literary Theme