After Dinner Speakers: Fred Dibnah, John Malkovich, Dickie Davies

Until 20 years ago, Fred Dibnah was just a steeplejack working in his own area of Bolton, Lancashire with an unusual interest in steam engines. Whilst working on the Town Hall in Bolton, the local BBC TV filmed a short news item about him. As a result of this, Fred was approached by a television producer with a view to making one half-hour film, as part of a series about people with unusual occupations. After several months of filming the final article was an hour long documentary, screened in its own right, which won two awards for the producer. Since then, Fred's life has been followed with interest. A series of 8 half-hour programmes looked at his work as a steeplejack, scaling the dizzy heights, as well his eccentric ways with his beloved steamroller and his restoration projects with steam engines. A further 6 half-hour programmes covered the effects of being a TV personality on his family life. In March 1992 the BBC cameras started once again to follow Fred for the making of 4 more programmes. These were screened in 1994 and a BBC book 'The Fred Dibnah Story' was released. The latest chapter in Fred’s life has seen him become the presenter of his own series entitled 'Fred Dibnah's Industrial Age' recently shown on BBC2. Fred manages to share his enthusiasm and love of the industrial age with viewers, illustrating the fact "There's lots to know - and places to go" for anyone who, like Fred, loves Britain’s rich legacy of the past. Now married to his third wife Sheila, an ex-showgirl, since September 1998, he still continues to work as a steeplejack. Fred has a lovely easy-going personality, which has not been affect