David Nobbs was guest speaker at the Hampshire Writers' Society May meeting.

And, he had some advice for any budding authors at the event at the University of Winchester.

"Write Silly!" he said. "Your writing can have its own truth. As long as it clings to that truth, it will go a long way."

Nobbs' writing career began at aged nine, with only W.E Johns’ Biggles for inspiration. He went on to write several bestsellers and many sketches for television, including A Bit of a Do and Keep it in the Family.

However, his defining work remains The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, which followed the story of a man desperate to escape his loving but dull marriage, disappointing offspring and the daily grind of his job. Tired of the rat race, Reggie decides to fake his own death and roams the countryside before realising he misses his wife and family and returns to them.

"Television is made for dialogue," he added. "The basic principles of comedy remain the same. It is the details that change."