Michael Bond

Paddington Bear was a refugee with a label - 'Please look after this bear. Thank you', and he had a little suitcase.

As a cameraman, I was paid to stand within a few feet of Yehudi Menuhin performing. I saw Rudolph Nureyev dancing. I couldn't believe I was being paid for that.

The great advantage of having a bear as a central character is that he can combine the innocence of a child with the sophistication of an adult.

A flat-rate poll tax would be politically unsustainable; even with a rebate scheme, the package would have an unacceptable impact on certain types of household.

I think the police are a major part of the glue that holds civilised life together. They're not highly paid.