According to The Guardian's obituary of his father, Christopher Hibbert delighted in "taking his children to appallingly unsuitable films" such as Carry On comedies.
[1] Hibbert first wrote for home improvement publications, in the late 1970s, and then for New Music News, a short-lived magazine published by Felix Dennis.
[6] In the description of his editor, Mark Ellen: "[Hibbert] helped invent a cartoon fantasy world in which everyone interviewed seemed to exhibit the same slapstick characteristics.
All his subjects – Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Bucks Fizz, John Lydon – were delightfully over-exaggerated, as mischievous and eccentric as their interrogator.
[11][12] The success of Smash Hits encouraged the British prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, to sit for an interview with Hibbert in the lead-up to the 1987 general election.
[10] Hoping to win favour among the nation's young voters, Thatcher was instead ridiculed in print for her music tastes, which included Cliff Richard and, as her favourite song, the 1953 hit "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?
Although the magazine was aimed at an older age group and more respectful to established rock stars, Hibbert's contributions retained an element of irreverence.
"[13] Some stars were similarly offended by Hibbert, who later cited Ringo Starr, Kate Bush and Boy George as disgruntled interviewees.