A VETERAN writer has spoken of a career that ranges from Crossroads to acclaimed children’s novels.

As well as the famous TV soap, James Andrew Hall has written for the series Tales of the Unexpected, Secret Army and Arthur C Clarke Mysteries.

He scripted a succession of Charles Dickens adaptations for the BBC, including Great Expectations and Dombey & Son. One of his children’s novels, Fowl Pest, was nominated for the Smarties Award in 1994.

The 82-year-old is also a BAFTA judge whose favourite movie last year was La La Land.

He said: “My first short story was published when I was still at school. The teacher suggested that I send it off to a magazine, which I did. To my astonishment, they published it and I gave up all thoughts of being an astronaut or anything else.”

He had his first novel published in 1965 and his agent landed him the chance to write “quite a few” episodes of Crossroads.

“It was a bit silly at times but I really loved it, and things multiplied after that, if you had a bit of a CV. The novel helped enormously because it added a bit of class,” he said.

As well as series, he wrote a Play for Today called Coming Out, which produced a storm in parliament.

“Nigel Havers, who was one of the stars, his father was the attorney general at the time and was really upset that his son was appearing in this TV play which garnered all these headlines in the papers like 'Gay sex shocker' and things like that,” he said.

“It was very tame by today’s standards but it was just the first time the BBC had done something like this. I loved it, it was wonderful. The publicity was terrific.”

Mr Hall moved to Bournemouth with partner Raymond after looking around for a home outside London.

“I like the feel and atmosphere of Bournemouth, I always have. It’s always had this reputation for being a retirement place but I think they are certainly beginning to lose that. It’s alive now, really alive with creativity, which is terrific and very exciting,” he said.

Interviewed by Georgina Hurcombe and Oliver Selby of Bournemouth company LoveLove Films, he said new writers needed luck, stamina and “the ability to bounce back”.

“I’ve got things in the drawer which I think should have been accepted years ago. And even now I think when looking at them, what didn’t they like?” he said.

He recently finished a novel about a dysfunctional Edwardian family. “I am most satisfied about the novels, I must admit. I’m very pleased I’ve finished this one; I mean I’m ancient now in my 80s so I doubt there will be another one,” he said.