My Life On The Margin With AB

Before strictly and before political punditry, John Sergeant starred in Alan Bennett’s only TV sketch show in 1966. It is one of his fondest memories.

It’s more than fifty years since I teamed up with Alan Bennett to try to make people laugh.

We have met on only a few occasions since, but I like to think we keep an eye on each other from a distance. In the latest edition of his diaries in Keeping On Keeping On, Alan reacts to one of my more recent escapades.

‘20 November. John Sergeant retires from the Strictly Come Dancing competition. I have no views on this but, having worked with Sergeant on a BBC comedy series in 1966, I can truthfully say that, whatever he knows about rhythm and dance (i.e. nothing), he learned from me.’

Like most of Alan’s best remarks, it is funny without being malicious; it should be spoken with a slightly mournful, northern accent, and with a straight face.

Having enjoyed Alan’s brand of humour for so many years, I can’t help but cherish this personal joke. I hope it means he appreciated the reason I gave for resigning from Strictly after ten weeks on the show.

‘There was,’ I said, ‘a real danger that I might win.’

Appearing with Alan in the six episodes of his only television sketch show, On the Margin, in 1966, is among my most treasured memories. The tapes of the BBC2 show were tragically wiped in the 1970s. One of the sketches involved me trying to keep up with fashion, addressing what in those days would be called an effeminate antiques dealer.

SERGEANT: Have you any camp teapot stands?

BENNETT: Do you know, if you’d come in here a week ago, I was knee deep in camp teapot stands. I’ve had teapot stands in this shop as camp as a row of pink tents.

ERGEANT: Really?

BENNETT: I tell a lie – as camp as a row of pink, frilly tents.