Alexei Sayle's Liverpool
Liverpool writer and comedian Alexei Sayle takes a tour of his hometown as it becomes European Capital of Culture.
As Liverpool begins its year as European Capital of Culture writer and comedian Alexei Sayle returns to his home city to assess what it has to offer and to see how the city has changed since he left.
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Born in Anfield, within shouting distance of The Kop, Alexei Sayle says he's never forgotten his roots, "It's like that cockney 'bow bells' thing.
"You're the most authentic scouser if you're brought up within the sound of Anfield. So I'm an authentic scouser.
"The casual visitor I think is going to be amazed. I think it's very distinctive, the stuff in Liverpool."
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The buildings in the World Heritage site area of William Brown Street particularly stand out for Alexei, "There is nothing like this collection of buildings anywhere else in Britain or anywhere else in the world.
"You step out of Lime Street Station and suddenly you're in ancient Rome, but eight times bigger."
Worthy of ancient Rome
Liverpool fell on hard times in the 1970's and 1980's but Alexei Sayle believes that a corner has now been turned, "You're going to take away a sense of past glories, but I think you're also going to catch a city at a moment that it's rising again."
"The centre is much better and some of the suburbs are fantastic."
As the city prepares to welcome the world what view does the well travelled Alexei Sayle now have of Liverpool?
"It's kind of wild and mad. There is poverty and deprivation but there's also extraordinary cultural wealth.
"I've travelled the world and I think for me the most exciting city I've ever been to is my home town."
BBC Liverpool
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