Sir Alexander McCall Smith (20:00 BST)

Recently knighted for his services to literature, academia, and charity, Alexander is a national treasure. Poetry has always been integral to his identity. Writing in his charming book, What W. H. Auden Can Do for You, Alexander revealed the poet’s influence on his own life. Recently he has also published collections of his own poetry, I Think of You and In a Time of Distance, exploring themes of fondness, food, fishing, and friendship as he travels from Edinburgh to ancient Greece, from Botswana to Argyllshire, and from Dallas to Helsinki.

A master storyteller, Alexander triumphs as an affectionate chronicler of others’ lives. His latest novel, The Perfect Passion Company, has been described by readers as “brilliant, unique, and beautiful”. This new series follows the life of Katie as she takes on her cousin’s dating agency in Edinburgh’s New Town and showcases a cast of characters who (mostly) find their true love.

In conversation with William Zachs

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