Charm

Cosmopolitan magazine (September 1999) posed as a broken-hearted 25 year old and wrote to various celebrities asking whether she should give up on love and join a convent. Some celebs failed to reply at all (Jamie Theakston, Natalie 'All Saints' Appleton), others claimed to be little qualified to give advice (Helena Bonham Carter, Ffion Hague), whilst others simply sent a signed photograph (Jennifer Aniston, Natasha Richardson). Her Majesty the Queen wrote back via a Lady-in-Waiting to express her sorrow and to wish that, in time, that the poor thing might be comforted.

Only Julie Burchill responded with any panache, sending the following reply inscribed on her personal copy of Les Liaisons Dangereux: "You sound really fab, and I'm sure things will work out. I don't suggest you follow my example, which is to treat men like they're the best things since Matchmakers and then get bored and out of the blue dump them so quick their ears bleed. But I thought this might amuse you. Write back."