09/11/2015 The One Show

My guest co-host tonight put his holiday plans on hold when he heard

I did, Alex Jones. I am so pleased that Matt is in Bristol with the

rickshaw. I get to meet the two men whose latest film The Lady In The

Van is a cinematic triumph, funny, moving. I loved it. Please welcome

Alan Bennett and Alex Jennings. Great to have you with us. During

the course of the interview we will determine which one is which. Alex,

quite a daunting prospect for an actor to play a person who is very

much with us but also the person who has written the play and the

screenplay. Did you ask for any advice? I played Alan in two short

pieces that he wrote, one called Home and one called Almac cocktail

Sticks. I had got it out of the cupboard before doing the film. That

gave me confidence for the film. I am very easy to imitate. He had been

doing it for years before it went on the stage. Is that right? I think

that probably is right. When did you first realise that you were somebody

who could be imitated? As soon as I realised my accent. It is a bit like

me being Welsh. It is easy. Which attributes do you think he got

spot-on? I used along to the filming and when I would be sitting there

when they were filming and occasionally he would pass the door

and I would think, he does look like me. Otherwise I do not see it,

really. His hair was quite difficult to get right on the stage. They dyed

his hair and he ended up looking like Veronica Lane. On the film it

is much more realistic. Because it is a wig. Alan has won Olivier

awards and Baftas and his workers on the National Curriculum and I

studied him at university. Only a full would try to sum up the work of

one of Britain's prolific playwrights in a minute and a half,

so here we go. Alan Bennett's love of the absurd claim to the public

notice in 1960 when he found almost -- instant fame and success. A TV

series was a major influence on Monty Python. Goody-goody gumdrops,

I want to sign it. GG gumdrops would be cheaper? His plays and films have

often reflected life in the north of England, revealing the humour hidden

inside the mundane. Fancy. There is a cream cracker under the city.

Successful plays have become cinematic triumphs. The history boys

launched the careers of young British talents like Dominic Cooper

and James cordon. This Friday the two-storey of a lady who lived in a

van for nearly 15 years is to be adapted for the big screen. I think

I am about to be taken short. Can I use your lavatory? No. The flashes

on the blink. I do not mind. Where is it? Alan, as we heard, the story

in the move film is about this lady who parked on your driveway. She was

supposed to be there for three month and it turned into 15 years. How did

that come about? Won it takes place is on a slope and the van started

parked at the top and gradually she led to drift down and I am at the

bottom so she ended up opposite my house. It is opposite the Bay Mendel

where I work. I used to see everything that went on. She used to

get not quite rough cut but persecuted and aggravated by people.

I found I was watching out for her. I sometimes had to go out and scare

people off rather ineffectually. I was looking at her and it distracted

me from my work, so eventually I said to her, listen, running into

the drive, the drive is about here to the monitor, see what happens,

thinking it would be about three month and it turned into 15 years.

It was my own fault I asked her in. You should perhaps have set a time

limit. It would have made no difference. She was very strong

willed. She knew she was going to stay and she did. When did you first

think there might be a play in this? I used to keep notes. She was so

close to me. If anything happened I would write it down. Anything funny.

I could not do anything when she was still alive and she died in 1989 and

it was after that... In the van. In the van. I thought I might be able

to do something. This is one of the many moments that Miss Shepherd gets

the attention of many of the residents. You have to mix it. I

have mixed it. I have Madeira cake in it. All of her vehicles ended up

looking as if they had been given a coat of clustered or scrambled egg.

There were a few occasions on which once saw how genuinely happy she was

and one of these was when she was putting paint on. Jackson Pollock

could not have done it better. Alan, and some ways this film could be

subtitled The Man In Your House because it is about you observing

the lady in the van and your reaction to her and the reaction of

the residents to her. Why did you put yourself into this? You could

have made it a fictional neighbour. She used to aggravate me. If it had

been a nice sweet film or sweet story where I was a nice

compassionate person and I asked her in because I felt charitable... It

was not like that. She used to irritate me to a great degree. You

are very clear in the film that you are not a saint. You swear, you get

annoyed. That is not modest. She was a real pain. Not only is there one

Alan, there are really two. Your task with playing both. One is the

writer, one of the landlord. They are very different. They are. The

clues are there in Alan's writing. The writer is tougher and more

objective about her and prodding the Alan living the life to have a more

exciting life I suppose. Alan is kind of hard on himself I think in

that his life... We are very grateful that you have lived the

life you have lived because you have given us this extraordinary work.

And observation of the quirks and strangeness of people. Good you

almost look the arrival of Miss Shepherd as a kind of gift? She was

a gift. If you are a writer anything is a gift. I have been doing

something with a Danish writer whose name I forget but he specialises in

boredom and boredom is a gift to him. We filmed it on the Crescent in

Alan's house, the van was there, and the physical closeness, literally

you open the door and the van is there. And the smell. Our van was

not smelly and Maggie was not smelly. You have to go round the van

to get in the street. Extraordinary to be shooting in the same house

looking at the same window. People used to come and see me and very

often did not mention the van. This was extraordinary because you have

to squeeze past it. The best occasion was choral brown, who was

married to Vincent Price, and they came and had supper, no mention of

this terrible van. When they were leaving they balls have quite loud

voices and were talking as they left and as they past there was a voice,

make less din. The incident prize nearly jumped. It was very

satisfying. Maggie Smith has done a fabulous job. Three fantastic

central performances. The film is out on Friday. We want you to get in

touch of there something on your drive you thought would only be

there for a few months but has been there for years. Relatives not

included. Take a picture, send it in, and we will look at the end of

the show. It is time to catch up with Matthew. If you are mourning

about how your Monday has been going this is when you realise it is

nothing compared to what Team Rickshaw are putting themselves

through. After some of the worst weather Team Rickshaw have had to

face we are hoping that the weekend would be drier. It is very windy

this morning and we are expecting a lot of rain. Anyway, heads down.

By! Get in the zone. That is great, Amira. As predicted it was not long

before the heavens opened. This is absolutely ridiculous. It is verging

on painful rain. If anybody is in two minds, Amira, about whether to

text, what would you say? Text! Eventually the rain stops but the

pain sets in. Making it hard for one of our riders who suffers from

severe arthritis. How is your need? If I am putting pressure on it it is

a bit more swollen. How are you doing on pain? About four going up

hills. Because she is so tough we have had to work out a way of

gauging the pain level she has had. We started on three and are up to

four. We will stop when we get to five. We do stop. Her team-mates

step in to give her a helping hand. Are we ready? Yes! Being a member of

Team Rickshaw is never easy and four George Griffiths the hills are one

thing... That is the top of the hill... He is also feeling homesick.

I want dad. I miss him. George's brother Henry is providing the

family support. I have a quick word. He really misses his dad. I am not

sure if there is any chance of getting him off. We will get him. I

miss you. Tell them what you just did. I went up really high hills.

Two years ago when he was 14 Elliott from Essex was diagnosed with

cancer. He is in remission but it still remains a worry for his

family. What do you remember about the day when they told you the news?

The enormity of it hit me. I cried like ten tears I think and then I

was basically saying I have to be strong for my family. As a parent I

cannot imagine what that must feel like. It must have affected them so

badly, psychologically. At the beginning you sort of feel like you

are the only teenager with cancer. But even though everything might

seem like it is lost it is not so there is no point letting it get you

down, you have to stay positive. I am sure lots of people are watching

that are in a similar position and to hear you say that must give them

an enormous amount of strength. Yes. What did you make of the rest of

Team Rickshaw? I love it. It is like a family. Everybody has been talking

about their charity. You have this common thread of being incredibly

determined. That determination lends itself to great support. In

Bridgwater we have an impressive escort.

The Fire Brigade have joined us, and Pudsey is hitching a ride! Next

stop, Clifton suspension Bridge. And look at this for an image to draw

day four to a close. George riding across Clifton Suspension bridge,

and here are the whole family here, his dad and mum. Mark, you go on

over there. George, look who's here!

This is just the most beautiful sight. George has been waiting for

this moment for so long. Kate, I know you are going to be with us

now, because Henry is going to go home, but can you sum up what that

was like, hearing those words of what your George was saying. I know

it has been really tough. It is a rickshaw challenge. But you don't

really realise how hard it is, especially with the weather and

everything, but I am so proud and amazed. Look at this. You see? That

is what it is all about. What did I say, George? Is this good enough for

you? It's great! You are going to have lovely night. Have another big

family cuddle. Have you seen who is over here, as well! It's practically

all of George's family who have turned out. I don't know where you

all staying! You have a lovely time while I talk to all the viewers at

home, because it isn't just about peddling, this rickshaw challenge.

Our riders also have to make a speech in front of a group. And the

dancer, Amira, Totora famous dance floor. I am backstage at Strictly to

give my speech for the rickshaw challenge. It is a massive

achievement to do something like this. 12 months ago she would have

been huddled in a corner. Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to welcome

somebody very special to the dance floor. This is Amira. One of the

most important people in my life is my big sister. I always felt sure

that she would have a bright future. All of this changed to years ago

when she had a brain haemorrhage. She was only 16, and suddenly she

was fighting for her life. It is still unbearable to think that the

times when I thought I might lose her. Eventually her condition

stabilised, but she had severe rain damage which meant she couldn't move

or communicate. We needed to find somewhere to help Elle to continue

to get better. The children's trust didn't just care for Elle, they

cared for the whole family. We had hard times coming to terms with

this, and for awhile, I lost my confidence. Without the children's

trust and Children in Need, we wouldn't be where we are now, so

please make a donation because it can really make a difference to

families like ours. I have to say, Amira, what you did

today, at Cheddar Gorge, all the viewers will see that in the next

few days, how you cycled up there, but to get that inner strength as

well, that couldn't have been easy to go on Strictly and talks the way

you did. To be fair, that was the biggest challenge, but it is all

worth it. And you are doing this to raise money, to get as much support

as you can for all those other youngsters, and Lucy, Erin, come

over here, I am now going to reveal this total. Turnarounds are every

body at home can see you. I asked what you hoped the total would be,

and you said hopefully ?50,000. The total is behind us, and all these

lovely people of Bristol are going to reveal it now. Can you lift up

the total to reveal what Team Rickshaw paso raised so far.

?582,000! High-5! Are you happy with that? So happy. We're not finished

any means. We are now halfway. Amira, we're not even finished the

day yet, so you keep going, and I will tell everybody what happening

tomorrow. We are leaving this area at 2am, and this is the route that

we will be going. It is 74 miles long, so there will be lots of fun

and games along the way. We will be taking in Warminster, Wilton and

Stockbridge. If you would like to track us, just go to the website and

you will find it. That is just remarkable, ?582,000 so far. Please

keep giving. Let's get this over a million. We will see you in

Winchester tomorrow night to turn on the Christmas lights!

Thank you to Matt and the team, what a total and incredibly moving to

watch. If you haven't yet donated...

Here's how you can support Team Rickshaw and Children in Need.

To donate ?5 to Children in Need, text the word TEAM to 70705.

Or to donate ?10, text TEAM to 70710.

Texts will cost your donation plus your standard

All of your donation will go to Children in Need.

You must be 16 or over, and please ask for the bill payer's permission.

For more information and full terms and conditions go to

where you can also donate online if you want to give a different amount.

Alan has often written about isolated people living

And we've found a family who chose to become exactly

that when they upped sticks and moved to a tiny Welsh island.

I think many of us dream about getting away from it all and living

somewhere really remote, but imagine if that place had no cars, no

flushing toilets, know what water, limited electricity, where eight

trip to the supermarket meant a boat ride back to the mainland. This is

the island of Hardy of the North Wales coast. It's only permanent

human residents are the Porter family who are the caretakers. How

did you make the decision to move out here? We had been coming here

for visits for quite a long time, so we knew a lot of the residents.

Having been home-schooled throughout his GCSEs and A-levels, Ben is about

to join his older sister Lucy who is away at university. It will make

things harder for his parents,. It is very satisfying to be able to sit

down to a meal that is entirely from the island. We sometimes catch fish,

and we grow potatoes and vegetables to Ben has lent me his bedroom for

my stay here, and he has explained there are a few things I need to get

used to. Head torches, limited electricity, going outside for the

toilet. It is a compost loo. We use grass or

sawdust. So in the middle of the night if I need a week, I have to

come all we are out here? Yes. It is so peaceful here, I slept

extremely well, but it has been an early awakening. Steve was the

member of the family with the most worries about coming here. He

enjoyed his job as an instructor in outdoor pursuits, and he loved to

travel, so the island can feel very small. There is a time at the end of

the winter most years where I feel like I have had enough. It is a

long, soggy, windy, muddy winter. But then spring comes and there is

so much new life on the visitors return and the season's new

possibilities arrive. Everyone has to muck in on the farm, but the

family have learned to use the island's resources in their own way

to of the time. How important is it to have focus

and structure? Really important. You are not in control, it is the

weather, and you do have to fit in with that rhythm of the tides and

the weather and the seasons. And if you could change any of this, a hot

shower or something, what would it be?

I am stumped there. That's brilliant! I think I am quite

satisfied. They look really happy, don't they.

Alan, the Porters are in self-imposed isolation.

Miss Shepherd isolates herself in her van parked on your drive

It is important for a writer to isolate themselves to write? I am

quite isolated in Yorkshire, but I have to come back to London, I can't

write there. It would drive me mad being on an island, isolated. Miss

Shepherd wasn't a recluse. And she wasn't a hermit. She lived in the

middle of a community, and even though she didn't have much to do

with Abel, she a recluse. And you do get the impression that she quite

liked the closeness of having you there, even though not in the same

house, necessarily, she knew that there was somebody keeping an eye on

her. Alex, we saw you playing Prince Charles opposite Helen Mirren in the

Queen. UI now about to embark on playing the Duke of Windsor in this

mammoth series for Netflix called the Round. Do you think it is

easier, or does it come with more baggage, playing somebody who has

actually existed? It is a different process to playing Hamlet or Henry

Higgins, both of which I have done. You listen and you what should the

way, you can now go on you Tube and there is a lot of information out

there, and that is a process I have used when I have played these real

people. It is slightly different, because you don't want to be the

Spitting Image puppet version of Alan!

LAUGHTER Is it a bit late in the day for

that? The Duke of Windsor has been dead

for a long time, so there is less baggage. With Prince Charles, I have

a huge amount of respect for him, and I didn't want to stitch up. I

didn't Camilla say to you, what was it like playing my husband? She did

ask me what it was like, and I said it was tricky, and she said, yes,

I'm sure it was! But she was delightful and very twinkly about

it, she said that when Charles hadn't actually seen it. In future

film roles, if you got offered a part in Star Wars, and the director

of the last-minute said, could you do it as Alan Bennett... I think

that is all I am going to be doing! I play the Duke of Windsor as Alan

Bennett! In homage to The Lady In The Van, we

asked for your pictures of things that have been in your driveway for

longer than necessary. We have some brilliant pictures here. Dan from

Belfast has had this bath in his driveway for 13 years.

Abigail has had this boat in her driveway so long, people ask her if

she lives in the house with the boat. Gosselin has had this on her

driveway for 13 years. This one is a good one. Andrew has had this

caravan in his driveway for six years. Not the one I was thinking

of. Another Andrew has sent us this

picture of his parents' driveway, that is the plane. No idea how it

got there. Plenty of inspiration there for some

new players! Right!. Lots of parts for Maggie Smith. It has been

marvellous to see you all. The Lady In The Van is out on Friday. And

thank you to Paul, you have been wonderful.

My pleasure. Nick Grimshaw will be

in my place tomorrow, and Kate Join us on BBC One for a truly epic

night of entertainment, featuring your favourite stars

and shows.