Editing Alan Bennett (section)

==Personal life==
[[File:World-war-one-gravestone-clarence-peel.redvers.jpg|right|thumb|150px|The headstone, in [[Larch Wood (Railway Cutting) Cemetery]], of Alan Bennett's Uncle Clarence, subject of a 1985 radio monologue]]
Bennett lived for 40 years on [[Gloucester Crescent]] in [[Camden Town]], London, and in 2006 moved a few minutes' walk away to [[Primrose Hill]] with his partner Rupert Thomas, the former editor of ''[[The World of Interiors]]'' magazine.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2004/may/14/theatre3 |title=The Guardian profile: Alan Bennett|newspaper=The Guardian|first=Aida|last=Edemariam|author-link=Aida Edemariam|date= 14 May 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/dec/18/alan-bennett-i-dont-fret-about-posterity-interview | title=Alan Bennett: 'I don't fret about posterity. But some things will last' | newspaper=The Observer | date=18 December 2016 | last1=McCrum | first1=Robert |author-link=Robert McCrum}}</ref> Bennett also had a long-term relationship with his former housekeeper, Anne Davies, until her death in 2009.<ref name="Billy Kenber">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/alan-bennett-reveals-that-his-lover-caf-anne-is-dead-1825391.html |title=Alan Bennett reveals that his lover, 'Café Anne', is dead|first=Billy|last=Kenber|newspaper=The Independent|date=22 November 2009}}</ref>

Bennett is an agnostic.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-12-24/alan-bennett-you-have-to-be-careful-about-becoming-an-old-git/|work=[[Radio Times]]|title=Alan Bennett: "You have to be careful about becoming an old git"|date=24 December 2016|access-date=28 November 2019}}</ref> He was raised [[Anglican]] and gradually "left it [the church] over the years".<ref>{{YouTube|wAl74KQ_IZI}}</ref>

In 1988, Bennett declined the award of [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (CBE) and in 1996 declined a [[knighthood]].<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/sir-alan-oh-no-itd-be-like-wearing-a-suit-every-day-1693491.html Playwright who rejected a knighthood says he's probably the last real monarchist left in Britain] ''The Independent'', 31 May 2009</ref>

In September 2005, Bennett revealed that, in 1997, he had undergone treatment for [[colorectal cancer]] and described the illness as a "bore". His chances of survival were given as being "much less" than 50 per cent and surgeons had told him they removed a "rock-bun" sized tumour.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4277976.stm "Alan Bennett reveals cancer fight"], ''BBC News'', 24 September 2005</ref> He began ''Untold Stories'' (published 2005) thinking it would be published posthumously, but his cancer went into remission.

In the autobiographical sketches which form a large part of the book Bennett says of himself "I am homosexual", but also mentions "flings" with women. Previously Bennett had referred to questions about his sexuality as like asking a man who has just crawled across the [[Sahara]] desert to choose between [[Perrier]] or [[Malvern, Worcestershire|Malvern]] mineral water.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/telegraph-view/3612508/Inside-Bennetts-fridge.html "Inside Bennett's fridge"], ''The Daily Telegraph'', 30 October 2004</ref>

In October 2008, Bennett announced that he was donating his entire archive of working papers, unpublished manuscripts, diaries and books to the [[Bodleian Library]], stating that it was a gesture of thanks repaying a debt he felt he owed to the [[British welfare state]] that had given him educational opportunities which his humble family background would otherwise never have afforded.<ref>Kennedy, Maev [https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2008/oct/24/alan-bennett-oxford-university "A small way of saying thank you: Bennett donates his life's work to the Bodleian"], ''The Guardian'', 24 October 2008</ref>

In September 2015, Bennett endorsed [[Jeremy Corbyn]]'s campaign in the [[2015 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|Labour Party leadership election]].<ref name="heraldscotland">{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13637728.Alan_Bennett__the_UK_Government_is_deplorable____but_Corbyn_has_given_things_a_good_kick_in_the_pants/|title=Alan Bennett: the UK Government is deplorable... but Corbyn has given things a good kick in the pants|location=Glasgow|newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]]|date=1 September 2015|access-date=1 May 2018}}</ref> The following month, after Corbyn's election victory, Bennett said: "I approve of him. If only because it brings Labour back to what they ought to be thinking about."<ref name="theguardian">{{cite news |last=Gani|first=Aisha|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/oct/31/alan-bennett-tories-govern-with-totalitarian-attitude|title=Alan Bennett: Tories govern with 'totalitarian attitude'|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=31 October 2015|access-date=1 May 2018}}</ref>

Following the death of [[Jonathan Miller]] in 2019, Bennett became the only surviving member of the original ''Beyond the Fringe'' quartet which had also included [[Peter Cook]] and [[Dudley Moore]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-50574472|title=Theatre director Sir Jonathan Miller dies aged 85|work=BBC News|date=27 November 2019|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

For many years Bennett has owned a cottage in [[Clapham, North Yorkshire|Clapham]] in the Yorkshire Dales.<ref name="Billy Kenber"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://claphamyorkshire.co.uk/2024/05/31/clapham-newsletter-149-june-2024/|title=Clapham Newsletter 149, June 2024|date=31 May 2024}}</ref>