Ian Hislop

He was born in Mumbles, south Wales. Educated at Ardingly College[?] and then Magdalen College, Oxford he graduated with an degree in English Literature and Language in 1981. He joined Private Eye in 1981 and became editor in 1986.

During Hislop's tenure Private Eye was sued for libel by corrupt publishing magnate Robert Maxwell. After a particularly extreme fine Hislop quipped to the media waiting outside the High Court "If that was justice then I'm a banana." (He also noted "I've just given a fat cheque to a fat Czech.") After surviving the financial trials of the libel payouts Private Eye and Hislop's reputations were greatly restored after it was revealed that what they had written about Maxwell was not only true but only a small part of the wider misdemeanours in Maxwell's empire.

Hislop is also a media pundit and a panellist on the popular current affairs[?] and satire program Have I Got News For You.

He has also presented TV shows including one on the history of British education.