Alan Bennett - a Marmite figure I know - on Radio 4

Love him and lived very near him in Clapham N.Yorkshire.
He read the eulogy at a funeral in the Church there and had everyone rolling in the aisles.

Me too. I think he's a genius with words and I like everything about the great Alan Bennett.

Do people really dislike him? I absolutely adore him. He is so multi-talented. The History Boys, The Madness of George 111, his monologues all his TV stuff and his autobiographical stuff. He's a legend and he's from Yorkshire. Oh I forgot The Lady in the Van one of my favourite films. I'd put him up there with Shakespeare as one of the greatest exponents of the English language

Just listened to it on BBC sounds. Very enjoyable. The actor playing him was excellent…I think the same one who played him in The Lady in the Van. Very sad towards the end.

I didn’t know he was a controversial figure! He’s very much admired by most people I know. I haven’t come across this particular work, but will follow it up. It seems to be another semi-autobiographical work, like Writing Home and A Life Like Other People’s. They are well worth reading.

Me too Kathy72! Love Alan Bennett.

I used to listen to his Talking Heads while hammering up and down the A1 on a monthly basis. Amazing talent.