Actor and author Rob Brydon is in Hay to talk about his autobiographical work ‘Small Man in a Book’. In case you are wondering he does ‘the voice’ at the top of the session, better to get these things out of the way. He also does a very creditable Alan Bennett.

Brydon is a raconteur whose voice and delivery evokes memories of some of the great Welsh actors. He tells several side-splitting show business anecdotes slipping in and out of impressions, many of them of stars called Jones; Tom, Catherine Zeta, you get the picture.

Brydon knows what the audience wants, cue a Michael Caine story with accompanying impression. He doesn’t always go for the obvious or easy line, his story about a message left for Ray Gravell after he had a foot amputated was brave, funny and deeply dark.

You have to be brave to ask Brydon a question and several are. One was rewarded with an exclusive on series two of The Trip with Steve Coogan. No promises but Italy has been talked about.