So, this is it. My last post as hecklerspray editor. Weird.

I’ve been with hecklerspray for over five years, in which time I’ve written almost 9,000 posts, won awards, helped the site become quite big and received more woefully misspelled death threats than I could ever count. So these next few paragraphs might be a little bit self-indulgent. Sorry.

Mainly, I need to thank some people. Chris and Dave, the shadowy hecklerspray puppeteers, for giving me this chance in the first place. Friends and family, for putting up with me when I’ve ignored them in favour of work. Michael Bay’s lawyer, for not going completely apeshit that time I accidentally called his client a murderer. Britney Spears, for shaving her hair and going mental that time. Seriously, Britney, that was hilarious.

And, obviously, all the hecklerspray writers past and present, even though the last thing their bloated collective ego needs is praise.

Most of all, though, I should thank the hecklerspray readers. Over the years, more than anyone else, you’ve helped to make the site what it is. You’ve been quick to compliment (and even quicker to criticise) and this blog would be a pointless empty husk if it weren’t for you lot. I’ve got to know a few of you over the years, and I’ll miss you all ridiculously.

Not that this is the end of hecklerspray of course. My replacement Mof Gimmers has already shown that he’s a mighty editor, and a funny bastard, so I’ve no doubt that he’s going to completely overshadow anything I’ve ever accomplished within about an hour and a half of taking over. And, who knows, I might still come back and write the odd bit whenever I can.

Speaking of which, I’m not dying or anything. If you want, you can still read my Guardian stuff, plus you can all keep in touch on Twitter and Facebook and whatnot. That’d be quite nice, actually.

Ugh. Sincerity. How vulgar. This must be my excuse to get drunk.

Toodleoo everyone. It’s been a ball.

Stu.

PS: There’s usually a thing here about following hecklerspray on Facebook and Twitter, but putting that bit in was always a bit of a ballache so I won’t bother. But, you know, do.