Speakers

Ben Aitken was born under Thatcher, grew to 6ft then stopped, and is an Aquarius. He is the author of five books: Dear Bill Bryson, wherein he followed Bill Bryson around the country for no good reason, A Chip Shop in Poznan (a Times bestseller), wherein he worked in a fish and chip shop in Poland, The Gran Tour (a Daily Mail Book of the Week), which involved six budget coach holidays with people much his senior, The Marmalade Diaries, which involved moving in with an 85-year-old widow on the eve of a national lockdown, and Here Comes The Fun, which takes a playful look at the serious business of having a laugh. 

He was conceived by a nurse and a shipwright, grew up in Portsmouth (against his better judgement), studied in London and Manchester, then worked as a carer throughout his twenties, all the while scribbling on the side. He gave this interview to Radio 4's Saturday Live about The Gran Tour, can be seen here banging on about fun on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch, and appears on rollerblades in this trailer for Here Comes The Fun.