This week's true life confessions ...

RUPERT MURDOCH: "It's true that I dabbled with Buddhism when I was younger. But it was just a phase. I now realise that the Dalai Lama is just a pointy-headed monkey."

EDDIE GEORGE: "In a moment of madness as a young man, I indulged in depraved Keynesian practices. I remember meeting JK Galbraith at a party and openly suggesting to him that the money supply has no effect on the real economy, and that inflation was nothing at all to be ashamed of. It seemed to turn him on."

RICHARD BRANSON: "It seems silly now, but as a young man I actually liked producing music and, y'know, decent quality entertainment. So what? I grew out of it. To prove it I launched Virgin Radio and now I'm happily shacked-up with Chris Evans."

DEREK WANLESS, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, NATWEST UK: "It was a mistake, I know. But as a young man I experimented with banking. It's all behind me now, and I am engaged to be married to Legal & General."