Alan Taylor with Neil Pearson (12:15)

Alan Rickman, one of the most beloved actors of all time, is put back on the stage by fellow-actor Neil Pearson and Alan Taylor, editor of his diaries.

With his air of dignity and sonorous voice he remains one of the most beloved actors of all time across almost every genre, from his breakout role as Die Hard’s villainous Hans Gruber to Professor Severus Snape.

But Rickman’s artistry wasn’t confined to just his performances. His writing details the extraordinary and the ordinary in a way that is anecdotal, indiscreet, witty, gossipy and utterly candid taking us behind the scenes on films and plays ranging from Sense & Sensibility to the Harry Potter series and Private Lives.

The diaries, which run from 1993 to 2016, were edited by journalist and writer Alan Taylor who had nine months to reduce 1.25 million words down to 250,000.

Neil Pearson is best known for his roles in The Bridget Jones films, Waterloo Road, Drop the Dead Donkey and Between the Lines.

Chaired by Mark Fisher

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