Telling Tales 
Telling Tales
With customary wryness, Alan reminisces about growing up in Leeds.
With music by George Fenton.
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | A Strip Of Blue | 20010604 | 20010622 | Alan Bennett's childhood in 1940s Leeds. With music by George Fenton. With customary wryness, Bennett reminisces about growing up in Leeds. Written and read by Alan Bennett in ten parts. 1: `A Strip of Blue'. With customary wryness, Alan reminisces about growing up in Leeds. |
| 02 | Our War | 20010605 | 20010629 20021027 (R4) 20050927 (BBC7) 20050928 (BBC7) 20060801 (BBC7) 20060802 (BBC7) 20070508 (BBC7) 20080422 (BBC7) 20090512 (R7) 20090513 (R7) 20100309 (R7) 20110222 (R7) 20120117 (R4+) | Alan Bennett recalls his 1940s childhood. Producer of suits and rhubarb - his home city of Leeds is not a prime bombing target. Producer of suits and rhubarb, Alan Bennett's Leeds is not a prime bombing target. Being a city which produces suits and rhubarb, Leeds is not a number one bombing target. Being a city which produces suits and rhubarb means that Leeds is not a number one bombing target. Alan Bennett's childhood in 1940s Leeds. Producers of suits and rhubarb mean that Leeds is not a number-one target for bombs. Producers of suits and rhubarb means Leeds is not No 1 target for bombs. With customary wryness, Alan Bennett reminisces about growing up in Leeds. With music by George Fenton. The writer recalls his 1940s childhood. Alan Bennett recalls his 1940s childhood. Producer of suits and rhubarb, his home city of Leeds is not a prime bombing target. Producer of suits and rhubarb, Alan Bennett's home of Leeds is not a prime bombing target. |
| 03 | An Ideal Home | 20010606 | 20021103 20050928 (BBC7) 20050929 (BBC7) 20060802 (BBC7) 20060803 (BBC7) 20070509 (BBC7) 20080423 (BBC7) 20090513 (R7) 20090514 (R7) 20100310 (R7) 20110223 (R7) 20120118 (R4+) | Alan Bennett recalls his 1940s childhood, when the sum total of family secrets amounted to not having a proper breakfast. Alan Bennett recalls the 40s when the only family secret was not having a proper breakfast With customary wryness, Alan Bennett reminisces about growing up in Leeds. Episode 3 of 10. Alan Bennett recalls from his childhood the family secret of not having a proper breakfast Alan Bennett recalls his 1940s childhood, where the sum total of family secrets amounted to not having a proper breakfast. The writer recalls his 1940s childhood, when the sum total of family secrets amounted to not having a proper breakfast. The writer recalls the 40s, when the only family secret was not having a proper breakfast. Alan Bennett recalls the 40s, when the only family secret was a lack of a proper breakfast |
| 04 | A Shy Butcher | 20010607 | 20021110 20050929 (BBC7) 20050930 (BBC7) 20060803 (BBC7) 20060804 (BBC7) 20070510 (BBC7) 20080424 (BBC7) 20090514 (R7) 20090515 (R7) 20100311 (R7) 20110224 (R7) 20120119 (R4+) | Alan Bennett recalls his father's lot in life - plus his own childhood evenings spent cleaning his parents' false teeth. Alan Bennett recalls his father's lot in life and cleaning his parents' false teeth. Alan Bennett recalls spending childhood evenings cleaning his parents' false teeth. Alan Bennett recalls his 1940s childhood. Who is this child that spent his evenings cleaning his parents' false teeth? With customary wryness, Alan reminisces about growing up in Leeds. The writer recalls his father's lot in life - plus his own childhood evenings spent cleaning his parents' false teeth. Recalling his father's lot in life and evenings spent cleaning his parents' false teeth. |
| 05 | Days Out | 20010608 | 20021117 20050930 (BBC7) 20051001 (BBC7) 20060804 (BBC7) 20060805 (BBC7) 20070511 (BBC7) 20080425 (BBC7) 20090515 (R7) 20090516 (R7) 20100312 (R7) 20110225 (R7) 20120120 (R4+) | Alan Bennett recalls his 1940s childhood - and the difficulties he and his parents faced in leaving Leeds on wartime Sundays. Alan Bennett recalls the difficulties his family faced in leaving Leeds on wartime Sundays Alan Bennett recalls the difficulties endured over leaving 1940s Leeds on a Sunday. Alan Bennett recalls his 1940s childhood and the difficulties endured over leaving Leeds on a Sunday. With customary wryness, Alan Bennett reminisces about growing up in Leeds. The writer recalls his 1940s childhood - and the difficulties he and his parents faced in leaving Leeds on wartime Sundays. The writer recalls the difficulties his family faced in leaving Leeds on wartime Sundays. |
| 06 | Proper Names | 20010611 | 20010727 (R4) 20021124 20021124 (R4) 20051003 (BBC7) 20051004 (BBC7) 20060807 (BBC7) 20060808 (BBC7) 20070514 (BBC7) 20080428 (BBC7) 20090518 (R7) 20090519 (R7) 20100315 (R7) 20110228 (R7) 20120123 (R4+) | The writer reminisces about his 1940s Leeds childhood - and the time his father was taken seriously ill. The writer reminisces about the time his father was taken seriously ill. Alan Bennett recalls when his father was taken seriously ill. Alan Bennett reminisces about his 1940s Leeds childhood and the time his father was taken seriously ill. Alan Bennett wryly reminisces about his time growing up in Leeds - and the time his father came close to death. |
| 07 | Eating Out | 20010612 | 20021201 20051004 (BBC7) 20051005 (BBC7) 20060808 (BBC7) 20060809 (BBC7) 20070515 (BBC7) 20080429 (BBC7) 20090519 (R7) 20090520 (R7) 20100316 (R7) 20110301 (R7) 20120124 (R4+) | The writer recalls the menu revolution of 1950s Britain, which saw the arrival of frothy coffee and cocktail parties. The writer recalls the arrival of frothy coffee and cocktail parties in 1950s Britain. Alan Bennett recalls the arrival of frothy coffee and cocktail parties in 1950s Britain. Alan Bennett recalls the menu revolution of 1950s Britain, which saw the arrival of frothy coffee and cocktail parties. With customary wryness, Alan Bennett reminisces about growing up in Leeds, and outings to eateries. |
| 08 | Aunt Eveline | 20010613 | 20021208 20051005 (BBC7) 20051006 (BBC7) 20060809 (BBC7) 20060810 (BBC7) 20070516 (BBC7) 20080430 (BBC7) 20090520 (R7) 20090521 (R7) 20100317 (R7) 20110302 (R7) 20120125 (R4+) | The writer shares post-war memories of his relatives. They may not have been colourful, but they were definitely eccentric. The writer recalls his relatives, who, although not colourful, were definitely eccentric. Alan Bennett's post-war memories of his relatives - who were definitely eccentric. Alan Bennett's post-war memories of his relatives. Alan Bennett's relatives may not have been colourful, but they were definitely eccentric. Another light-hearted reminiscence. The writer shares post-war memories of his relatives. They may not have been colourful, but they were definitely eccentric. |
| 09 | Unsaid Prayers | 20010614 | 20010817 20021215 (R4) 20051006 (BBC7) 20051007 (BBC7) 20060810 (BBC7) 20060811 (BBC7) 20070517 (BBC7) 20080501 (BBC7) 20090521 (R7) 20090522 (R7) 20100318 (R7) 20110303 (R7) 20120126 (R4+) | Scared of infection from the communion challis, the writer recalls his Anglican faith throughout army and university life. The writer recalls his Anglican faith throughout army and university life. Scared of infection from the communion challis, Alan Bennett recalls his Anglican faith throughout army and university life. Alan Bennett recalls his Anglican faith throughout army and university life. With customary wryness, Alan Bennett reminisces about growing up in Leeds - and his youthful religious fervour. With customary wryness, Alan reminisces about growing up in Leeds - and his youthful religious fervour. With music by George Fenton. Scared of infection from the communion chalice, the writer recalls his Anglican faith throughout army and university life. |
| 10 LAST | No Mean City | 20010615 | 20010629 (R4) 20021013 20021222 (R4) 20051007 (BBC7) 20051008 (BBC7) 20060811 (BBC7) 20060812 (BBC7) 20070518 (BBC7) 20080502 (BBC7) 20090522 (R7) 20090523 (R7) 20100319 (R7) 20110304 (R7) 20120127 (R4+) | Writer Alan Bennett concludes his reminiscences of post-war Leeds and describes the hold it's maintained on him into adulthood. Alan Bennett describes the hold his childhood in Leeds has had on him into adulthood. The writer concludes his reminiscences of post-war Leeds, and describes the hold it's always maintained on him into adulthood. The writer describes the hold that Leeds has maintained on him into adulthood. The writer concludes his reminisces of post-war Leeds - and describes the hold it's always maintained on him into adulthood. |
