BBC Four to air retrospective of Alan Bennett films alongside exclusive TV interview
Next month, BBC Four will celebrate some of the classic works of Alan Bennett, showcasing a selection of his much-loved films made for the BBC, and air a brand-new interview with Alan in conversation with Sir Nicholas Hytner.
Published: 30 April 2014
We’re delighted to be celebrating the work of one of our most prolific and well-loved writers. Alan Bennett’s collection of television dramas is unparalleled, with the films we’ve selected showing the range of work that has been an inspiration to so many other writers.
Audiences will be able to enjoy several of Alan’s best dramas from across his career, selected from his own personal favourites. They include three of the most compelling films from the iconic Talking Heads series alongside An Englishman Abroad and 102 Boulevard Haussmann, which epitomise the intelligence, characterisation and humour for which Bennett is known. Dinner At Noon, the observational documentary fronted by Bennett himself, has also been selected.
Cassian Harrison, Channel Editor of BBC Four, says: "We’re delighted to be celebrating the work of one of our most prolific and well-loved writers. Alan Bennett’s collection of television dramas is unparalleled, with the films we’ve selected showing the range of work that has been an inspiration to so many other writers. We’re also thrilled that Alan has agreed to give BBC Four a brand-new interview to accompany the retrospective."
To mark Alan Bennett’s 80th birthday, BBC Four will also be airing a full-length TV interview conducted by his long-time collaborator, Sir Nicholas Hytner - director of the National Theatre. From his first West End play Forty Years On to his recent hit success A Habit Of Art, they discuss the art of writing for the stage, television and the movies and their on-going collaboration, as well as Alan’s thoughts on the British education system and what’s likely to be his next project.
Saturday 10 May
21:00 Alan Bennett at 80: Bennett meets Hytner
22:00 Talking Heads: A Chip in the Sugar
22:40 Talking Heads: A Bed Among the Lentils
Sunday 11 May
21:00 An Englishman Abroad
22:30 Dinner at Noon
Tuesday 13 May
21:00 Talking Heads: A Lady of Letters
21:30 102 Boulevard Haussmann
SH6/SA2
