'Dame' Sallie Ryle bids farewell to ITV

There was an impressive turnout for ITV PR "Dame" Sallie Ryle's leaving do last night, as befits a Yorkshire lass who's chalked up 31 years – count 'em – with the network. Those braving the torrential London rain to say their farewells at Blackfriars gastropub The Laughing Gravy included former ITV execs Charles Allen, Nick Elliott and Andy Harries, ex-royal PR Mark Bolland, Telegraph Media Group and PressBoF man Guy Black, and former PCC director Tim Toulmin. John Whiston, ITV Studios creative director, gave a speech in which he joked that an exposé of TV PR based on the Dame's life story would be called "I told Fibs – Sex, Scandal, Spin and Starbucks – what really goes on at Britain's biggest commercial broadcaster (and production company too)". There were also video tributes from David Jason and Richard Branson, the latter slumming it on his Caribbean retreat, Necker Island. "Now you're retired you'll be able to spend more time here," the Virgin founder said. With friends like that, who needs a job in TV PR anyway, eh Sal?