Prunella Scales and Timothy West Dementia wont break our 60year love story

There are framed copies of appearances on Radio Times covers (Fawlty Towers for her, a role as Winston Churchill in a TV film for him), and awards for audiobook narration of the year (the unabridged version of EF Benson's class-struggle classic Lucia's Progress did particularly well in 1993, apparently).

Plus, on a shelf, a guide to Britain's canal networks, which on its own would have given an almighty clue as to who lives in a house like this.

For more than 50 years, perched on the north side of London's Wandsworth Common, this has been the family home for two of the best-known names in British acting.

Scales will forever be most closely identified with the domineering and long-suffering comedy creation Sybil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers, best defined by one bark of "Basil".

"We didn't start out thinking it was going to be an especially exciting performance for people to watch," admits West, sitting down beside his wife on a sofa in their front room for an interview with BBC Breakfast.

All around their house are ever-so-slightly deflating helium balloons, a concoction of cards and flowers from well-wishers just about to go on the turn.

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