The reigning queen of sophisticated septuagenarians was back in her hometown for the first day of the ongoing Manchester Literature Festival, promoting her debut novel All The Nice Girls.
It tells the story of the adoption of a merchant ship by a girls' school during the Battle of the Atlantic, and she took great pleasure in reading from a section of the book set in the Midland itself.
At the age of 75 Bakewell decided it was time for a change of career and, after more than four decades in broadcasting and journalism, turned her hand to novel-writing.
The former Stockport High pupil told her audience how she was spurred on by the desire to get one over on a cranky English teacher, who told her she wasn't good enough to be a writer.
"I desperately wanted to write, but pupils just did what they were told in those days," she said "It took me 60 years to get over that teacher's snub".
"Fulfil your dreams," She added: "That's what we're here for."
Impossibly elegant in a mustard cardigan with honeyed hair, articulate and confident, Bakewell is the official poster girl for the elderly.
She reminisced with her fans about growing up in wartime Manchester; Goray Skirts, Bourgeoise Face Powder and Yardley Cologne: "I remember the clothes, the mood, how we felt about sex, boys and dancing."
Manchester Literature Festival runs until October 25. For details of events, log on to citylife.co.uk or manchester literaturefestival.co.uk
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