In 1963, it was the graphics prize at the Paris Biennale. 1983 was the German award of Excellence and in 2004, he was honoured with La Rosa D'Oro at Palermo in Italy.

However, we're betting that Hockney, Bradford's most famous artist son, will be just as happy about the award he received this week. Presented by The Oldie Magazine, Hockney was bestowed with the honour of Gasper of the Year for his campaign against the smoking ban. The Oldie, the monthly magazine edited by former Private Eye editor Richard Ingrams, hailed Hockney, as "one of the country's greatest living smokers".

Kenneth Branagh was in chirpy, unguarded and garrulous mood this week at the Bradford International Film Festival. The actor, producer, director and writer was at the festival to collect his fellowship award. Interviewed on stage by the festival's artistic director Tony Earnshaw, Branagh told a number of stories about the people he had worked with during his career and a couple of our favourites include this one about Judi Dench. "In America for Hamlet (the 1996 film version Branagh directed and starred in) the company wanted to put these names on the poster. There was mine, and Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Charlton Heston, Jack Lemmon. When I got the poster, I said that there were two names missing. The first was William Shakespeare, who I thought deserved a credit. And I also said, 'I hope you don't mind if we put one other name on. She's an English actress and I would be ever so grateful if you could include her'." And so it was that Judi Dench appeared on the billing.



Another story from the Branagh interview reminds us of the importance of humility. On the set of Henry V, which Branagh produced, directed and starred in when he was just 28, there was a one-eyed focus puller.

Cue the audience waiting for the punchline. Branagh explains there is no punchline. That's the story. The man in charge of making sure the focus on the camera is sharp, had one eye. "Makes you realise that you can be doing all the great performing you like, if it's not in focus it doesn't matter. I always made sure he was watching the scene with his good eye."



Of course we're biased towards the only Yorkshire entry, but are we wrong to suggest Rosie Boycott may be letting outside factors influence her choices of her top 10 literary festivals in the country? Boycott, former editor of The Independent and The Independent on Sunday, was asked by a national magazine to list her top 10 British literary festivals.

She opens the article by saying: "In 1973, JB Priestley remarked that 'Ilkley is the right size for a festival town... large enough to provide various amenities and small enough to stroll around'. His sentiment holds good today." But if that is the case, then why does Boycott banish Ilkley Literature festival to seventh place? "Apart from my killer hotel experience I loved Ilkley." She reveals no more about this "killer experience".

Perhaps a better hotel would have seen the festival move up a few places?