Pressing engagement

Monkey's own nearest and dearest obviously hang on his every published word but not all hacks can claim such loyalty. Luke Leitch, deputy features editor of Times2, can thank his lucky stars that his girlfriend Zoe Manzi is not a regular reader of his work. For Friday, Leitch put together a special leap year feature for male readers trying to dodge unwanted marriage proposals on February 29. "Men! How to avoid getting engaged today" proclaimed the Times2 cover. Inside the article gave some "some sure-fire ways to avoid today's doomsday scenario". Imagine Leitch's surprise when Manzi, an editor at Conde Nast's contract publishing division, proposed to him on Friday night. "It had a beautiful symmetry to it," says Leitch. "I spent so much time pushing through that piece it didn't click that it might happen to me. I didn't follow my own advice and I said 'Yes'." Congratulations to the Leitch-Manzis.