The Great Tesco Cheese Caper

Among my Facebook gang, some are very sympathetic toward Anthony Worrall Thompson, while others are more than a little scornful. One person wrote:

Thoughts go out to Anthony Worral Thompson.

Whereupon came the reply :

Yup. Those thoughts are "Thieving sod! Don't you have enough money? If you had to shoplift, surely someone of your wealth would do it from Harrods or somewhere! You cheap tart!"

The celebrity chef's support for the Tory party was also mentioned, which is sort of fair. If someone subscribes to a political ideology that stresses a. personal responsibility for actions and b. punishing people who nick stuff, then he can indeed be seen as a thundering hypocrite. But...

When a celebrity is caught shoplifting I always think of Isobel Barnett. Scots by birth and originally a medical doctor, she was a Leicestershire JP who became noted for her wit. She was recruited by the BBC and rose to prominence in the formal broadcasting environment of the Fifties on the show 'What's My Line?'. She often starred alongside Kenneth Williams. I recall seeing her on Call My Bluff when I was a lad, but by the laid back, long-haired mid-Seventies her broadcasting career was over. But it was to have a very sad coda.



In 1980, Isobel Barnett was back in the spotlight when she was accused of stealing from the village grocer. She insisted on her innocence and opted for a jury trial. She was found guilty of stealing goods worth 87p and fined £75. A few days later she was found dead in her bath. The coroner returned a verdict of suicide.

In the end, mental illness is very democratic. Depression and related illnesses can wreck anyone's life, and while the rich can pay for the best treatment no amount of money can guarantee peace of mind.

That said, some of the internet jokes are good.