What's your first Yorkshire memory? My dad worked for what was the GPO, which later became BT, and his job took him, and us, all over the country. I was born in Plymouth, and in my early teens we all moved up to Stanage Edge, near Sheffield. I don't think that I'd ever seen so many hills, and the landscape was so very different from what I knew.What's your favourite part of the county '“ and why? I love cycling, and running, and for me, there's no better '¨place to do that than in the Yorkshire Wolds. I do a marathon every year, so I go out at least a couple of times a week, and in all weathers. I remember that my parents took my bike away from me when we first moved to Sheffield, telling me that it would be impossible to cycle there. I proved them wrong and if you can ride a bike in Sheffield, you can ride one anywhere!What's your idea of a perfect day, or a perfect weekend, out in Yorkshire? An Opera North performance in Leeds on the Friday, cycling with friends on the Saturday followed by a coffee in Beverley's celebrated Café Velo, a warm evening with family and friends that evening, and then settling into our bay window on the Sunday to read and to play the piano. Do you have a favourite walk '“ or view? Walking (or more usually running) from Black Mill on the Westwood, looking down over the pastures to Beverley, with its Minster and the lovely St Mary's Church. What a privilege it is to have a pair of such amazing medieval buildings in one small town. Which Yorkshire sportsman, past or present, would you like to take for lunch? Sebastian Coe. We went to the same school in Sheffield, although we didn't exactly overlap. I'd love to find out, directly from him, if all the school folklore about his training sessions up and down the hills is true. Apparently his dad used to pace him while driving the car along as Seb pounded the pavements, and the vehicle picked up speed as the training '¨progressed. Which Yorkshire stage or screen star, past or present, would you like to take for dinner? Because of his combination of wit, intelligence and travel experience, it has to be Michael Palin. I think we'd have a very stimulating conversation. And, if it turns into a monologue from him, that would be just fascinating.If you had to name your Yorkshire '˜hidden gem', what would it be? Sorry, but it is a very particular, very special spot, and it has to remain hidden. But that said, our students often tell us that they hadn't got a clue about the place until they applied here, so I'd like to shine a bright light on our amazing campus. If you could choose somewhere, or some object, from or in Yorkshire to own for a day, what would it be? Burton Agnes Hall It's such a beautiful place; the upstairs gallery, with its collection of amazing artworks, is breathtaking and I love the woodland walk and the walled gardens. What do you think gives Yorkshire its unique identity? The great open spaces of the county, from rugged crags to undulating landscapes, and the vast expanses of sky.Do you have a favourite restaurant, or pub? The Pipe and Glass in South Dalton. We don't get there as much as either of us would like to, but every time we've been we've had a wonderful meal, with superb food and very attentive, caring and friendly staff. Do you have a favourite food shop? Beverley is blessed with a lot of good little independent stores, and among the best is Peck's. It's a family-run fish shop, a very traditional little place, and just exceptional.How do you think that Yorkshire has changed, for better or for worse, in the time that you've known it? It has, I think, become a lot more connected with the world in terms of transport, media and education, but it still retains its own personal 'otherness'. There are also some world-class performing spaces in the county now '“ our own Middleton Hall, on the campus here, being a glowing example '“ which attract world-class performers, and where you will find world-class performances. Who is the Yorkshire person that you most admire? There is an elderly man '“ I am guessing that he must be in his late 70s or early 80s '“ who I used to see out running in the town until quite recently. He seemed to join in everything, even singing carols around Beverley at Christmas. I admire people like that, because they embrace and enjoy life in all its forms. Has Yorkshire influenced your work? A lot of my compositions have been produced for the people of Yorkshire, and performed in its many concert halls, including the newly refurbished Middleton Hall, so the answer has to be 'yes'. Name your favourite Yorkshire book/author/artist/CD/performer?Barry Hines' A Kestrel for a Knave. I saw Kes before I read the book, and I still feel the emotional impact that it had on me. The film adaptation perfectly summed up the spirit of South Yorkshire, while the book was rather more difficult to get into, because he wrote it with the local accent to the fore. If a stranger to Yorkshire only had time to visit one place, it would be? Doncaster railway station '“ find me one person that hasn't had to change there and wait an eternity for the relevant train to come in. Everyone knows those platforms '“ I certainly do. If anyone can tell me of a good little pub nearby with some decent malt whisky on the shelves, please feel free to get in touch.