The Archer Affair: Writer humiliated over disputed pounds 12,000

TED FRANCIS, a television producer and screenwriter, first met Jeffrey Archer in 1970 to discuss a pounds 3.4m movie deal he was trying to put together.

Five years later, the novelist approached his friend with the story Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less. It would make a "fabulous" film or television series, Mr Francis told him.

The two men discussed co-operating on a number of projects in the following years although none came to fruition.

In early 1987, about the same time that it is claimed Lord Archer asked him to lie about the now infamous dinner date, Mr Francis, 66, asked for help in funding a pounds 100,000 project to develop some Enid Blyton stories for a television series. Lord Archer arranged for his bank to give Mr Francis pounds 12,000 in notes. It was this deal that ultimately strained the relationship. Mr Francis says he planned to give Lord Archer a percentage of the profits if the series took off. He added that when Lord Archer gave him the money he said he didn't expect to see any of the money back. However, Ted Francis says he was later publicly humiliated when Lord Archer claimed the money had been borrowed and not paid back.

About two months ago, Mr Francis, who lives in Guildford, Surrey, contacted the PR expert Max Clifford with his story. A close friend of Mr Clifford's said yesterday that Mr Francis was unhappy at the prospect of Lord Archer becoming mayor "through the back door".

"Mr Francis did not do this for the money, though there was obviously money involved," he added. Mr Francis is believed to have been paid pounds 15,000 for the story. The News of the World has confirmed it paid Mr Francis for his services, but declined to confirm the amount, saying only that Lord Archer's former friend had made a donation to charity equal to his payment.