Foot left to work, part-time, on the Mandrake column on "The Sunday Telegraph". He had previously contributed articles to "Private Eye" since 1964 but decided, in February 1967, to take a cut in salary and join the staff of the magazine on a full-time basis, working with its editor, Richard Ingrams and Peter Cook, by now in possession of a controlling interest in the magazine. When asked about the decision later, Foot would say he could not resist the prospect of two whole pages with complete freedom to write whatever he liked. "Writing for "Private Eye" is the only journalism I have ever been engaged in which is pure enjoyment. It is free publishing of the most exhilarating kind."