Strolling onto stage, wearing Brighton-friendly jeans and large jewellery, a remarkably youthful-looking Ms Wood was greeted by rapturous applause from the packed hall.

Billed as a literary event celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Mass Observation archive held at the University of Sussex, which inspired Wood's recent TV drama Housewife, 49, the "in conversation" evening ranged far wider.

Illustrated by video clips of her work, discussion focused on the comedian's writing, although there were many occasions for amusing anecdotes and some frank comments.

But audience question time produced the loudest laughs, as the four microphones dotted around were variously unmanned, switched off, too loud or used out of turn.

As disembodied voices announced out of the shadows, "This is Mic One", "Mic Four here", Wood, attempting to spot speakers and answer queries, was prompted to exclaim "I feel like Doris Stokes".

It was a bizarre, shambolicbut enjoyable session to conclude a lively, entertaining evening.