Dude's pals party like it's 1999

Five days to launch – and London’s bright young things pitched up to toast the imminent arrival of Dude, where’s my career? in bookshops nationwide.

Gotta be honest – I was bricking it about this party. Er, whose bright idea was it to throw together my mum, my friends, a bunch of ice-cold mag hags, a clutch of earnest publishing types, a smattering of good-hearted careers advisers – and a truckload of booze?

The venue was stressing me out too. I’d gambled on a dark and cosy bar area – but knew my turn-out would be halved if the sun came out, when my high-maintenance friends would be disappointed with anything less than a roof terrace, a heated pool and an organic gourmet picnic.

Happily, it pissed it down so the venue was perfect. Bonzer.

And everyone got trashed and had a brilliant time. Even me. Result!