Easily the most entertaining thing I’ve read for a while – Ben Goldacre’s extensive takedown of Dr. Gillian McKeith. We occasionally rib my dad about the fact that he once bought something called ‘DNA Vitamins’ off t’internet (“well, perhaps he wasn’t getting enough DNA in his diet,” and such other sidesplitters) and it’s both amusing and depressing to see millionaire TV personalities saying similar with a straight face:

“She says DNA is an anti-ageing constituent: if you “do not have enough RNA/DNA”, in fact, you “may ultimately age prematurely”. Stress can deplete your DNA, but algae will increase it: and she reckons it’s only present in growing cells. Is my semen growing? Is a virus growing? Is chicken liver pate growing? All of these contain plenty of DNA.”

Satisfying though a carefully administered takedown is, you can’t beat good old-fashioned abuse, so here’s a tribute to McKeith from Charlie Brooker:

…she’s incapable of smiling naturally on camera (the rictus grin in her official photo makes her look like she’s trying to poo out a pine cone – which, given her diet, she probably is).

Oh, and unrelatedly, it’s Darwin Day. Act accordingly.