As part of the 1960s revue, Beyond the Fringe, he helped to kick-start the English Satire revolution, and has since remained one of our leading dramatists.

His screenplay for The Madness of King George received an Oscar nomination and his collection of prose writings and reminiscences, Writing Home, is a bestseller.

Bennett has also written for television, with works including the successful Talking Heads series of monologues for the BBC.