Famous faces from the worlds of showbusiness and politics gathered today to celebrate the life of “national institution” Sir Clement Freud.
U2 frontman Bono, broadcaster Stephen Fry and British prime minister Gordon Brown were among those at the writer, broadcaster and former Liberal MP's funeral, held on what would have been his 85th birthday.
Comedians Paul Merton, Graham Norton and Mel Smith, politician Lord Steel and performer Uri Geller also joined Sir Clement's famous family at the laughter-filled service at St Bride's, known for its links with the media.
Broadcaster Alan Yentob, presenter Claudia Winkleman, Shadow Chancellor George Osborne, actors David Morrissey, Nicholas Parsons and Doreen Mantle, screenwriter Richard Curtis and director Paul Greengrass were also at the church off Fleet Street in central London.
Addressing the congregation, the prime minister said of Sir Clement: "He was not only a national treasure but became within his own right a national institution.
"Clement Freud had the greatest asset of all, a wonderful wife, Jill, and a wonderful family that have done so much for our national life."
He told mourners he first met Sir Clement in 1974 when both were rectors of Scottish universities — Mr Brown at the University of Edinburgh and Sir Clement at Dundee University.
Mr Brown, who was accompanied by his wife Sarah, also gave a reading from The Wedding at Cana, which he said was, "not surprisingly", about food and wine.
Sir Clement, who died at his home in London on April 15th, was a grandson of the ground-breaking psychologist Sigmund Freud. His brother is the painter Lucian Freud.
His five children include PR businessman Matthew Freud, married to Elisabeth Murdoch, and TV presenter Emma Freud, while his niece is the writer Esther Freud.
Sir Clement's widow Lady Freud, who read
If I Should Dieby Joyce Grenfell, told the congregation: "He would be amazed at how many of you have turned up, and you are all welcome."
Paying tribute to his father, Matthew Freud said: "I think my dad would have wanted me to talk about his family.
"He had a very clear and personal view of the family he and my mother would create.
"He celebrated our successes and he mitigated our failures with the love of a father and the pride of a patriarch.
"To me and my family he was the most important person in the whole world and for all that he was, we will miss him."
Mr Freud also spoke of his father's passion for writing, food, gambling and politics.
Looking back on Sir Clement's 55 years as a working journalist, he said: "If words were his craft, then eating was his purpose... cooking and eating were in almost every article."
Memories of his father in the kitchen would endure forever, he said, as would "the taste of the legendary hot pate that we were forced to eat".
Emma Freud also took part in the service, with a rendition of
I'll Be Seeing You.
Born in Berlin, Sir Clement enjoyed a varied career after his family moved to the UK in the 1930s, working as an apprentice cook at the Dorchester Hotel in London before joining the Royal Ulster Rifles during the Second World War.
He first became a household name in the 1960s and 70s, fronting the television adverts for Minced Morsels dog food.
The role on the small screen with Henry the dog launched him on a long career as a television and radio personality, helping him become a stalwart on
Just A Minuteand featuring on shows including
Have I Got News For You.
His political career began in 1973, when he won the Isle of Ely constituency for the Liberals. He transferred to North East Cambridgeshire after boundary changes, but lost the seat in 1987, the year he was knighted.
PA