I met Sarah Ferguson - her ridiculous promise convinced me she was as mad as a hatter

Until I read the sycophantic, self-servingly shameless email the Duchess of York sent paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, calling him a "supreme friend" and begging for forgiveness just weeks after assuring the public she'd have nothing to do with him "ever again", I thought that she was as mad as a hatter.

In 2004, I presented BBC Radio London's afternoon show, a melange of music and conversation. "Good Lord!" said my producer Esther Stanhope. "Someone rang in claiming to be Fergie's right-hand woman. Apparently, the Duchess of York wants to be our roving reporter! Must be a hoax." We thought nothing of it. What on earth would Sarah Ferguson want with a bit part on a regional radio show? The calls kept coming. Fergie was dead serious.

She was keen to embark on a career as a radio correspondent. She was available to appear daily - daily! - and wanted to meet me in person. I tried to duck it. The prospect of Sarah Ferguson as a regular contributor seemed utterly ludicrous. What was she going to talk about? How would it fit in with her hectic, peripatetic lifestyle?

What was she playing at? Finally, at the boss's insistence, I went to meet the duchess at London's Langham Hotel. She had commandeered a private room. She was friendly, like a panting puppy straining for a treat. But what did she want? Surely she didn't think a slot on my show would be the springboard to becoming the next Richard Dimbleby.

She assured me she'd be available every day "no matter where I am in the world". She gave me a Little Red doll - I have it to this day - and signed her name on its bottom.

Only then did we get to the point. "Vanessa, you DO think I will find someone to love me, don't you?" Of course I assured her true love awaited just around the corner. I had to. It would have been rude to shrug and say: "I've no idea." She left me with a number to call to fix up her broadcasting schedule. No one answered. We never heard from Sarah or her representative again.

For 21 years I've felt a little sorry for her. This leaked email has changed my mind. I thought that she was benign, lonely and lost. Now I feel that she's not just mildly mad but bad. The King must keep Andrew and Fergie out of the public orbit. We've already had far more of both greedy Yorks than we can stomach.