Sir John Betjeman’s poetry has been a passion since Joanna Lumley was a schoolgirl. She led readings of his poetry at the 1996 unveiling of a stone tablet to the late Poet Laureate at Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey and performed at The John Betjeman Variety Show at the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2006.
I get Betjeman, I got him the first moment I read him, I am a Betjemmane.
I have asked for two autographs in my life – one is Colin Cowdrey’s, the other is John Betjeman’s. Joanna Lumley