Sad about Simon Dee. A giant of the time and very much identified with the Swinging Sixties. Another icon of the era bites the dust.
I know he was difficult as a friend of mine wrote a book about him a few years ago - which he hated, obviously, but which was all true. It took years to do, after having first gained the man's trust in a letter-writing campaign in which Dee was pompous, rude, barking and revelatory all at once, and which went on for a good few years before he'd co-operate with the book.
I've seen and read all the letters, which should be published in their own right. But it was also very sad to see how far a once great man had fallen, now living round the corner from the leisure centre in the back streets of Winchester, a bitter, broken man who knew he'd blown it but was too proud to admit it.
My friend the author finally met the great man a few times, and though guarded and not exactly charming, he was interesting and good company, with many great stories to tell. But he would never admit how he was impossible to work with and how fame completely went to his head.
I'm glad he got to do the book - a lifelong dream, despite being at least 10 years younger than me, and so remembering even less of the Sixties. In fact none of it.
It's called something like Whatever Happened To Simon Dee by Richard Wiseman, and it's well worth a look. And no doubt coming to BBC4 soon. If it's not, it really should be.
