You know what you’re getting with Jeremy Hardy.

Stalwart of Radio 4’s hugely popular quiz comedy show The News Quiz, he can always be relied upon to knock out an impressively coherent tirade against the madness of the world, usually – although not always – from a left wing viewpoint (he can be as scathing about Labour leader Ed Miliband as he is about the Bullingdon Tory mafia and yet admits to something of a soft spot for Prime Minister elect Boris Johnson).

Arriving on stage clasping, among other items, an asthma inhaler due to a chest infection, he proves an eloquent speaker, and certainly gave a virtually full house their money’s worth. If this is what he’s like when he’s suffering, woe betide anyone who gets on his wrong side when he’s firing on all cylinders.

Sadly, despite Radlett being one of the most well-to-do parts of the country, he seemed to be preaching to the converted by and large, and I doubt whether, despite his powerfully argued ‘liberal leftie’ comments, many of those in attendance would have left the show having changed their political allegiance.

However most, if not all, of us went home feeling slightly happier about the world and themselves. I know I did and I hope he did too. After all, it’s always good to get these things off your chest – infected or otherwise.

Four stars