The moment that John told me: I have that thing Lady Di's got (he meant bulimia)

Simon Walters recalls his many meetings with John Prescott, including candid confessions, rants and rages... and regret

- Simon Walters

I got to know John Prescott well when he came to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s. He knew the Labour Party and unions inside out. He was also uproariously good company and could be unpredictable and unguarded – though you crossed him at your peril.

In the early days of New Labour, I had lunch with him in Westminster’s Footstool restaurant. He was quieter than usual, barely touching his food. When I asked if he was OK, he said: “No, I have had terrible stomach trouble, really terrible.” He muttered something about eating lots of digestive biscuits.

I asked if he had seen a doctor. He had – and had been diagnosed with a medical condition, but couldn’t recall the term. “It’s that thing Lady Di’s got,” he said. “It begins with b.” “Bulimia?” I asked. “Yeah,” he said, “that’s it.”

I’d be lying if, along with expressing my concern, I didn’t own up to the fact that my journalistic side was quietly telling me this would make a good story. He anticipated that. “It’s off the record. You’re not putting that in the bloody paper! Right?” he glowered. So I didn’t.