Trivia

He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1987 Queen's Honours List and awarded Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire in the 1997 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to drama.

His play, "House/Garden", performed at the Royal National Theatre, Lyttleton and Olivier Stages, in London, England was nominated for Best Comedy at the 2001 Laurence Olivier Theatre Awards for the 2000 season.

His comedy, "Comic Potential", performed in 1999 at the Lyric Theatre in London, England was nominated for a 2000 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best New Comedy.

His comedy, "Things We Do for Love", was nominated for 1999 'Laurence Olivier' Theatre Award for Best Comedy of the 1998 season.

His comedy, "RolePlay (Damsel in Distress)", performed at the Duchess Theatre in London, England was nominated for a 2003 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best New Comedy of 2002.

He was nominated for two Tony Awards in 1979 for "Bedroom Farce:" as author of the Best Play nominee and, along with collaborator Peter Hall, as Best Director (Play).

His play, "The Norman Conquests," was awarded the 2009 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play on Broadway in New York City.

He was awarded the Antoinette Perry "Tony" Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre in June 2010 for his services and contributions to the theatre in New York City.

His play, "Henceforward..." at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California was awarded the 1991 Drama Logue Award for Outstanding Production.

He was awarded the 1991 Drama Logue Award for Outstanding Writing for "Henceforward..." at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

He has Honorary doctorates from Bradford, Cardif, Hull, Keele Leeds, York and the Open University.

Hey has2 sons Steven Paul born December 9 1997 and Philip Nicholas born September 1960.

He is a Fellow of the RSA.

After leaving school at 17, Ayckbourn took several temporary jobs in various places before starting a temporary position at the Scarborough Library Theatre, where he was introduced to the artistic director, Stephen Joseph. It is said that Joseph became both a mentor and father figure for Ayckbourn until his untimely death in 1967, and Ayckbourn has consistently spoken highly of him.

Ayckbourn attended Haileybury and Imperial Service College, in the village of Hertford Heath and, while there, he toured Europe and America with the school's Shakespeare company.