OPINIONS : What's the worst snub you've ever had?

LIBBY PURVES, radio presenter: All of the snubs I have had have been professional. The freelance journalist goes through so many that after a while you stop noticing them. The best snub was early in my career when interviewing the late Alistair Buchan, son of John Buchan, who had written a distinguished book on war. I asked him what part Britain had played on the world stage and he looked me straight in the eye and replied "I do not encourage the language of the green room to be used in the context of war."

PETER ALLISON, spokesman for Outrage: I think we got a snub last night when we received a phonecall from someone who thought we were an anti- gay group and wanted to make a considerable donation.

FIONA PITT-KETHLEY, writer: One of the editors at Virago publishing wrote to me saying that she couldn't make an offer on my book because she couldn't afford the money for me to get my teeth fixed.

NICHOLAS PARSONS, tele- vison presenter: As an unconfident youngster, when I invited out a young lady I was very attracted to. She turned me down. I'd plucked up enough courage to ask her for a date under the clocktower in Glasgow and she didn't materialise. I wondered how I could handle life from then on.

CAROLINE BORN, movement and dance therapist: I was teaching self-expressive movement therapy to a group, and someone asked me if I was on drugs.

GARY PULSIFER, publisher's press officer: Dame Barbara Cartland turned down my request for a quote for the blurb of one of our books because the story included incestuous sex before marriage.

TRACEY PARRETT, solicitor: At school games I was always the last to be chosen for teams. One day I approached one of the sports captains and begged her not to leave me until last. Even next to last would have done. She just laughed at me.

UNCLE DENNIS, magician: Snubs from children happen all the time. When I asked one little girl to join in she said: "You can't tell me what to do because I'll tell my mum and she's a doctor's wife."

PAULA BINGHAM, actress: Auditioning for a part, I was stopped by the director who asked me if I could continue as if I was a rhinoceros. I dutifully tried my best to complete the piece in the style of a rhinoceros. When I'd finished the piece he said: "Have you ever actually seen a rhinoceros?"

GREG FEARON, marketing executive: I cold-called a huge company and was put through to the marketing director by mistake. He let me ramble on for a while and then said: "Let me stop you there, Greg. Me, big marketing director, goes on business trips in a helicopter, very important schedule. You, little cold-calling person. Absolutely no time to discuss, suggest you speak to a more menial person." I was just gobsmacked.