Robert Neman and David Baddiel have their first public exchange in 24 years

Robert Newman and David Baddiel have exchanged their first public words in 24 years.

The double-act split after their pioneering Wembley Arena gig in 1993, reportedly on acrimonious terms, with Baddiel speaking of how fame made his erstwhile partner ‘a difficult person to work with’.

But today they shared some virtual conversation via Twitter after a fan made reference to one of Newman’s old gags.

After Baddiel tweeted: ‘Whenever I see John McDonnell I think: somewhere, a provincial Police Commissioner has gone missing’, a fan called Rachel Palmer chipped in with: ‘Whenever I see Robert Palmer I think somewhere there's a non-league football team missing a manager :-)’

Baddiel acknowledged the provenance of the line, saying: ‘That of course is a great @mrrobnewman joke of old. Although doesn't work quite so well now Robert Palmer's dead.’

Then Newman, making reference to how much his comedy has changed since the impressions he used to do in the early days, added: ‘Yes, I should probably drop it from the set-list, all things considered, only it helps me segue into Top Cat/ Bilko/ Basil Brush medley.’

Baddiel acknowledged that this was their first public exhange in more than two decades, adding in a hashtag that he was ‘actually quite moved’.

First bit of public comic banter between me and @mrrobnewman for 24 years...#actuallyquitemoved pic.twitter.com/LmuRivKN6x

— David Baddiel (@Baddiel) May 8, 2017

Published: 8 May 2017