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Allergic to flowers - because he wrote the play Hay fever
Though not educated at school, he was a polymath, writer of prose and songs, playwright and actor. With his posh accent and clipped tones, he came to represent the quintessential Englishman. I've read his autobiography and although mainly dealing with his life in the theatre, there's some cracking stories and anecdotes in it.
He didn't have an allergy, the clue was a pun.
The next clue was going to be that you could have met him but only for a short time. Brief Encounter... and a couple more cryptic clues lined up.