NIGEL SMITH has been a journalist, busker, TV comedy producer and script writer, winning an award for his BBC 4 radio comedy, Vent, based on his own life-threatening brain illness. More importantly, he has been -- and still is -- an embarrassing Dad. Much like Natalia Buttface, his three children are continually mortified by his ill-advised trousers, comedic hats, low quality jokes, poorly chosen motor vehicles, unique sense of direction and unfortunate ukulele playing. Unlike his hero Ivor Bumole, he doesn't write Christmas cracker jokes for a living. Yet.
John Carey is Merton Professor of English at Oxford University. A distinguished critic, reviewer, & broadcaster, he is the author of several books, including "The Intellectuals & the Masses".