Ronnie Corbett placed his right arm over my shoulder and engaged me in conversation about university entry tariffs and the relative merits of ‘old’ and post-92 institutions.

How, for example, does the ‘quality’ of graduates from Northumbria, Durham, and Napier compare? Are (as rumoured) six UCAS points worth more in Scotland than in England?

The dead comedian gave every impression that he harboured ambitions to enter higher education late in life.