Allen Lane - Publisher

Publisher and founder of Penguin books, Allen Lane answers the questions posed by a panel of three:

* George Scott - author and broadcaster
* Margaret Lane - journalist and biographer
* Walter Allen - critic and novelist

Aged 58 when interviewed, Allen talks of his life as a pioneering paperback publisher and his discovery of DH Lawrence.

Sir Allen Lane died aged 67 in 1970.

Launched in 1952 on the BBC Home Service, Frankly Speaking was a novel, ground breaking series. Unrehearsed and unscripted, the traditional interviewee/interviewer pairing was initially jettisoned for three interviewers firing direct questions.

Early critics described it as 'unkempt', 'an inquisition' and described the guest as prey being cornered, quarry being pursued - with calls to axe the unscripted interview. But the format won out and eventually won over its detractors.

Only 40 or so of the original 100 programmes survive.

First broadcast on the BBC Home Service in 1961.