In pictures: Guest speaker Simon Callow wows guests at Harrogate Business Lunch

Simon Callow CBE is perhaps most famous for his role in Four Wedding and a Funeral, but has appeared in scores of other films and theatre productions, including Amadeus, Howard’s End, Shakespeare in Love and Waiting for Godot.

The sell-out event was organised by Howard Matthews Partnership, Williams Investment Management, Lloyds Bank and the Harrogate Advertiser Series, and was sponsored by Kings Catering Company, which also supplied the three-course lunch.

Mr Matthews said of Mr Callow: “He was a very good speaker and received a tremendous response from the audience. Some said he was the best speaker we’ve ever had.

“He was very funny and interesting, and spoke at length about his life and how he got into acting. It was all delivered in his wonderful, clear, booming voice – you can tell he’s a Shakespearean actor – so he really was exactly what we look for in a guest speaker.”

The Harrogate Business Luncheons are held three times a year and are invariably sold out. The next event is due to be held on Friday, May 25. Speaker to be confirmed.