Radio Oldie

28: August Issue: Granny, I hardly knew you

12 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to August Issue of the Oldie podcast. George Courtauld, a former Queen's messenger and bestselling writer of The Travels of a Fat Bulldog, ha...

27: Tim Waterstone on how he built his brand

12 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Introduced by Barry Cryer, Sir Tim Waterstone spoke at the Oldie's July lunch about what inspired him to create Waterstones, the difficulty of getting...

Antony Beevor on the British obsession with Operation Market Garden

12 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Introduced by Barry Cryer, Sir Antony Beevor spoke at the Oldie's July lunch about the British fascination with defeat, the disaster at Arnhem bridge ...

26: Anna Pasternak speaks about the kindhearted Wallis Simpson

12 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Introduced by Barry Cryer, Anna Pasternak speaks at the Oldie's July lunch. Looking past the steely scheming facade that is so familiar  the public,...

25: July Issue: Barry Cryer on 60 years in comedy

11 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the July issue of the Oldie podcast. Harry Mount editor of The Oldie speaks to the comic genius Barry Cryer, who has been working in comed...

25: Why did Lord Carrington hate Boris Johnson?

11 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Christopher Lee speaks at the Oldie Literary Lunch about Lord Carrington: his peculiarly-named dogs, how he came to be 'an honourable man', and why he...

24: Rachel Kelly outlines the three things that helped her beat depression

11 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Introduced by Barry Cryer, Rachel Kelly spoke about her experiences with depression and anxiety, and how she beat them. Her new book, Singing in the ...

23: Chris Mullin on the prescience of A Very British Coup

11 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Introduced by Barry Cryer, former MP Chris Mullin speaks at the Oldie's  June lunch about an encounter with George W Bush, the story behind his bests...

22: Sara Lodge on singing Edward Lear

22 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Sara Lodge, former speechwriter to Kofi Annan and author of Inventing Edward Lear, speaks at the Oldie Literary Lunch at Cholmondeley Castle about the...

21: Adrian Tinniswood on the Queen Mother's steady drinking

22 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Adrian Tinniswood, author of Behind the Throne: A Domestic History of the British Royal Household, speaks about the man who got Prince Albert killed, ...

20: Getting through D-Day – Giles Milton talks Eisenhower, Pegasus Bridge and Rommel

14 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the Oldie's June Podcast. D-Day took place 75 years ago on the 6th June. It was the largest invasion in military history. 7,000 vessels, ...

19: Giles Milton on a commando's unexpected encounter with Erwin Rommel

09 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

With commemorations for the 75th anniversary of D-Day just around the corner, we were delighted to welcome Giles Milton to our May lunch. His new bo...

19: Robert Hutton on MI5's most secret agent: Jack King

09 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

During the Second World War, MI5 ran a secret operation to root out Nazi-sympathisers. At the Oldie's May literary lunch Robert Hutton spoke about t...

18: Christopher Howse on the angriest landlord in London

09 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Christopher Howse speaks about the highs and lows of the golden days of Soho. Soho in the Eighties, his new book, is an anecdotal history of the str...

Prince Albert's Coburg – 'the stud farm of Europe'

15 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to The Oldie's May podcast. William Cook, a regular contributor to The Oldie, the Spectator and the Independent, who has written books abou...

Prue Leith on Bake Off, Bomb scares and Explosive Marmalade

04 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

At the April lunch, Prue Leith spoke about her life in cooking, one of Paul Hollywood's meaner moments on Bake Off, bomb scares and explosive marmalad...

Hugo Vickers on the unusual girth of the Queen's great-grandmother

04 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hugo Vickers on The Quest for Queen Mary by James Pope-Hennessy, which he edited. He spoke about the book's 60-year journey to publication, James Po...

17: Matthew Sturgis on the celebrity of Oscar Wilde

04 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

At the April Literary Lunch, Matthew Sturgis spoke about his new book, Oscar: A Life.

Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais remember Ronnie Barker, Porridge and The Likely Lads

14 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the Spring podcast of The Oldie magazine. Harry Mount speaks to the great Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, who have written a terrific c...

16: Look, no wrinkles – Mary Killen on the lazy facelift

19 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Mary Killen has no time for the knife, the exercises or the headstands. Instead, she lies back and tries the facelift for the lazy – and it works

15: Why Brian Clough swore at Motty

12 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

John Motson speaks about his new book, World Cup Motty: My World Cup Stories at The Oldie's February Literary Lunch. He remembers the 1978 World Cup...

14: William Keegan on the relief of decimalisation

12 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

William Keegan, the former Economics Editor of the Observer, speaks on his book, Nine Crises: Fifty Years of Covering the British Economy from Devalu...

13: Lady Colin Campbell on the unbridled masculinity of Prince Philip

12 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Lady Colin Campbell speaks about her new book, The Queen's Marriage at The Oldie's February Literary Lunch. Her amusing anecdotes, matched by her i...

Oldie Keep Calm and Carry On Award winner Amanda Barrie on Carry On

30 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Oldie editor Harry Mount talks to Oldie of the Year Amanda Barrie about her Carry On experiences: from her supporting role in Carry On Cabby (1963) t...

12: Robert Hardman on Queen of the World at the Oldie Literary Lunch

14 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Robert Hardman on Queen of the World

11: Kenneth Baker on On The Seven Deadly Sins at the Oldie Literary Lunch

14 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Lord Baker on On The Seven Deadly Sins

Gyles Brandreth on Have You Eaten Grandma? at the Oldie Literary Lunch

14 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Gyles Brandreth on Have You Eaten Grandma?

Nicholas Parsons turns 95

26 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Nicholas Parsons talks to Harry Mount at the Gibraltar Literature Festival

10: Miles Goslett on An Inconvenient Death at the Oldie Literary Lunch

26 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Miles Goslett on An Inconvenient Death: How the Establishment Covered Up the David Kelly Affair

10: January Issue: The Icy Thrills of Boxing Day at the Races

26 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Harry Mount talks to Brough Scott – celebrated racing presenter, winning jockey in over a hundred races and a Kempton Park veteran – about the Kin...

9: Andrew Morton on Wallis in Love at the Oldie Literary Lunch

26 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Morton on Wallis in Love

8: Dan Snow on On this day in History at the Oldie Literary Lunch

26 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dan Snow on On this day in History

7: Mark Mason on The Book of Seconds at the Oldie Literary Lunch

02 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Mason on The Book of Seconds

Adam Zamoyski on Napoleon: The Man Behind the Myth at the Oldie Literary Lunch

02 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Adam Zamoyski on Napoleon: The Man Behind the Myth

Andrew Roberts on Churchill: Walking with Destiny at the Oldie Literary Lunch

02 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Roberts on Churchill: Walking with Destiny

December Issue: Blue guides and the Greek islands

31 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Lucy Lethbridge talks to our editor Harry Mount about the world famous Blue Guides and the perceived difference between tourists and 'real' travellers...

6: December Issue: Life was my Uni

31 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Our editor, Harry Mount, interviews Nicky Haslam about the joy of having not been to university.

5: Miranda Seymour on In Bryon's Wake at the Oldie Literary Lunch

25 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Miranda Seymour on In Bryon's Wake

4: Giles Wood and Mary Killen on The Diary of Two Nobodies at the Oldie Literary Lunch

25 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Giles Wood and Mary Killen on The Diary of Two Nobodies

4: Dan Cruikshank on Skyscrapers at the Oldie Literary Lunch

25 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dan Cruikshank on Skyscrapers

3: Tony Adams on Sober: Football. My Story. My Life. at the Oldie Literary Lunch

25 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Tony Adams on Sober: Football. My Story. My Life.

1: November Issue: Let's Get Real About Food

02 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Lucy Deedes, the daughter of WF Deedes, Private Eye’s Dear Bill, remembers a childhood spent eating roadkill and deer butchered in the garden – be...

1: November Issue: I Once Kissed Roger Moore

02 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Former Bond Girl Madeline Smith talks to Annabel Sampson about Roger Moore undressing her with a magnetic watch in 'Live and Let Die'. Madeline also t...

2: Filming if...

20 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of if… The Oldie screened Lindsay Anderson’s anti-establishment satire set in an English public school at th...

October Issue: Kenneth Cranham on Harold Pinter

03 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Ten years after Harold Pinter's death – and on the eve of a new season of his plays – actor Kenneth Cranham remembers his friend's advice on how t...

October Issue: Sara Wheeler on Anton Chekov's Gardens

28 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Our Digital Editor, Annabel Sampson, talks to Sara Wheeler about Anton Chekhov’s Russian garden, that has been copied in Devon after a blooming debu...

1: September Issue: Ask Virginia

08 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Oldie’s Agony Aunt, the stand-up, novelist and columnist Virginia Ironside, opens up about solving reader conundrums, something she has done now...

1: Dame Jenni Murray on A History of Britain in 21 Women at the Oldie Literary Lunch

07 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

They were famous queens, unrecognised visionaries, great artists and trailblazing politicians. They all pushed back boundaries and revolutionised our ...

1: Andrew Gimson on Gimson's Prime Ministers at the Oldie Literary Lunch

07 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Who is your favourite prime minister? Gimson has written a vivid account of the lives of PMs from Walpole to May. The former parliamentary sketchwrite...

1: Ferdinand Mount on Prime Movers at the Oldie Literary Lunch

07 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The former head of Margaret Thatcher’s policy unit and former editor of the TLS will talk about his latest book, Prime Movers. It examines the polit...

1: September Issue: Soho's Golden Age

07 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Christopher Howse recalls the heyday of London’s boozy artistic bohemia – from the Forties to the Eighties. In conversation with Harry Mount.

1: Miles Goslett on An Inconvenient Death: How the Establishment Covered up the David Kelly Affair at the Oldie Literary Lunch

07 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

From the man who exposed the Jimmy Savile scandal – in The Oldie – comes a book on the mysterious death of Dr David Kelly in 2003. It remains one ...

1: Leanda de Lisle on The White King: The Untold Story of Charles I at the Oldie Literary Lunch

07 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Drawing on lost royal letters from a closed archive, The White King introduces us to Charles I as the monarch at the heart of an epic tale: of populis...

1: D. J. Taylor on Rock and Roll is Life: A Novel at the Oldie Literary Lunch

07 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

'Rock and Roll is Life' is a vastly entertaining, picaresque and touching novel inspired by the excess and trajectories of the great '60s and '70s sup...

An extract from Sam Leith at the Oldie Journalism Course

10 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sam Leith, literary editor of the Spectator, talks about 'How to Write a Book Review' and proffers wisdom on how to make a review 'really sing on the ...

An extract from Mary Kenny at the Oldie Journalism Course

10 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Mary enlightens course-goers, telling them that 'only a blockhead goes into journalism for money' in her session on 'How to Write a Column' – someth...

August Issue: Rules Britannia

10 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sophia Money-Coutts on modern manners: drinks at 6.30, dinner at 8.30 – and get married by 30. The former features director of Tatler talks tongue-i...

Stanley Johnson on Kompromat

10 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The father of our ‘Golden Oldies’ columnist, Rachel Johnson, has written a political thriller – an account of the skulduggery that might have go...

Christopher Somerville on The January Man: A Year of Walking Britain

10 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A year of walks, inspired by a song – Dave Goulder’s The January Man. Month by month, season by season and region by region, Christopher Somervill...

Anna Pasternak on Lara: The Untold Love Story and the Inspiration for Doctor Zhivago

10 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Anna is the great-niece of the Nobel Prize-winning novelist Boris Pasternak – author of Doctor Zhivago. She tells the story of the true and tragic l...

5: July issue: Roger Lewis looks back on his journalism and books

12 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Roger Lewis looks back on his journalism and books, and discusses his unique, sardonic, comic style. He also unlocks the characters of Peter Sellers a...

4: Charles Duff on Charley's Woods at the Oldie Literary Lunch

12 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Charles Duff stands in to replace his cousin John Julius Norwich, who was forced to stand down due to ill health, at the June 5th 2018 lunch. An actor...

3: Angela Levin on Harry: Conversations with the Prince at the Oldie Literary Lunch

12 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Fresh from reporting on the Royal Wedding for CNN from 4.30am until 9pm, Angela Levin reveals extracts from her royal biography, Harry: Conversations ...

2: Lady Antonia Fraser in conversation with Harry Mount at the Oldie Literary Lunch

12 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Lady Antonia Fraser in conversation with her cousin, Harry Mount, on her book The King and the Catholics: The Fight for Rights 1829 at the Oldie Liter...

July Issue: Hancock's Last Hours

12 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Barry Cryer on Tony Hancock. Barry recalls the comic genius of his friend, and how Hancock discarded his brilliant writers before finally, tragically ...

Paul Atterbury and Marc Allum, Hugo Vickers and John Tusa at the April 2018 Literary Lunch

20 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Paul Atterbury and Marc Allum discuss their new book, which celebrates 40 years of the Antiques Roadshow. They reveal their greatest and most interest...

Extract from the Oldie Computer course with Matthew Webster

16 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In early April we had our ‘rebooted’ computer course at the Royal Geographical Society with Matthew Webster, who has been our technological expert...

May issue: Tom Hodgkinson on being idle

16 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Harry Mount interviews Tom Hodgkinson, our Town Mouse columnist and cofounder of the Idler empire, about eminent Victorians, town vs country, and the ...

May issue: Back to the Falklands

16 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Robert Fox discusses his sombre return to the Falklands to advise on a new feature film about the Battle of Goose Green – where he was one of only t...

Spring issue: Those magnificent men of the RAF

20 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It is 100 years since the Royal Air Force took flight. Joshua Levine, author of Fighter Heroes of WWI, commemorates the centenary with a preview of th...

Spring 2018 issue: Fat pride is fat-headed

20 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Ferdie Rous, our editorial assistant, talks about ‘fat shaming’. No Thinifer himself, he admits he should be revelling in the fight for ‘fat acc...

Nicholas Shakespeare, Peter Snow and Ann MacMillan and Simon Jenkins at the March 2018 Literary Lunch

19 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Nicholas Shakespeare, the distinguished novelist, on Six Minutes in May. A talk on Chamberlain's downfall, Churchill's eventual accession to number 1...

April 2018 issue: Paddy the Great, king of Greece

20 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On the eve of a retrospective exhibition at the British Museum, John Julius Norwich recalls the remarkable life and tremendous spirit of his friend Pa...

April 2018 issue: I wrote a Ladybird book

20 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Wooldridge is a Professor of Computer Science and Head of the Department of Computer Science at the University of Oxford – he is also the au...

The Oldie of the Year Awards 2018

07 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In our annual event at Simpson’s in the Strand, awards were presented by Gyles Brandreth, and given to Basil Brush, Geoffrey Palmer, Alan Ayckbourn,...

Matthew Fort on Summer in the Islands, The Oldie Literary Lunch

25 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Food writer Matthew Fort tells us about his gourmet trip on a Vespa to little known Italian islands, brought to you by The Oldie Literary Lunch. The...

The Making of the British Landscape by Nicholas Crane at The Oldie Literary Lunch

25 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

At The Oldie Literary lunch presents, geographer Nicholas Crane who explains that over millennia Britain has evolved from ice-bound peninsula, to an i...

Splash! by Stephen Glover at The Oldie Literary Lunch

25 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen Glover talks journalism, Fleet Street, drink and his book Splash the story of a reporter who uncovers the scoop of the century. The Oldie Li...

March 2018 issue: My Orwellian holidays

24 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Seventy years ago, George Orwell wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four on Jura. Annabel Sampson recalls her happy childhood on the Hebridean isle. Richard Blair...

March 2018 issue: Hit or miss? It's a fine line

24 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A surefire flop can so easily flip into being a smash – and vice versa. Actor Michael Simkins has first-hand experience of both. He talks about the ...

February 2018 issue: 1940s vs 1970s fashion

21 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Mother and daughter, Drusilla Beyfus and Nicola Shulman, debate the case for the ‘greatest decade for fashion’: it’s the 1940s vs the 1970s.

February 2018 issue: Behind the scenes at the British Museum

21 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Dora Thornton, a senior curator at the British Museum, reveals the delights of being a curator. She talks to Harry Mount about the Holy Thorn Reliq...

January 2018 issue: Christmas with Jimi Hendrix

29 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Jimi was all alone in London when his friend and photographer Bruce Fleming invited him over for a festive lunch that rocked on...and on. It was turke...

January 2018 Issue: Rachel Johnson and Nicky Haslam's ruthless guide to Christmas parties

29 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Find out why rosé is always ‘pink wine’; why there’s nothing naffer than Christmas overseas, and why Yule Logs are an unqualified ‘no’ from...

Princes Michael of Kent, A Cheetah's Tale at The Oldie Literary Lunch

24 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Princess Michael of Kent is welcomed back to The Oldie Literary lunch to talk about her latest book A Cheetah's Tale. The Oldie Literary Lunch is b...

Gyles Brandreth on Christmas at The Oldie Literary Lunch

24 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Irrepressible Gyles Brandreth talks about his new book on Christmas and a very funny tale about the Royals. The Oldie Literary Lunch is brought to ...

Donald Trelford, Shouting in the Street The Oldie Literary Lunch

24 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Ex editor of The Observer, Donald Trelford talks about his book Shouting in the Street - Adventures and Misadventures of a Fleet Street Survivor at Th...

December 2017 issue: Sixty seconds that hooked the nation

02 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

'Just a minute' is celebrating its 50th birthday. In all that time, the panel game has been presided over by only one man: 94-year-old Nicholas Parson...

December 2017 issue: Tanya Gold's lucky trip to hospital wonderland

02 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Tanya Gold discusses a Cornish clifftop fall that led to laughing gas, morphine, hugs, jelly on tap and a break from chores – all for free. Tanya Go...

The Oldie Literary Lunch: Mark Mason on Question Time

31 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Mason talks about the perfect pub quiz question in his latest book Question Time. Introduced by veteran comedian Barry Cryer. The Oldie Liter...

Oldie Literary Lunch, Mary & Giles Wood, The Diary of Two Nobodies

31 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Mary and Giles Wood talk about their book - The Diary of Two Nobodies - at The Oldie Literary Lunch. The Oldie Literary Lunch is brought to you by N...

Oldie Literary Lunch The Village News: The Truth Behind England's Idyll by Tom Fort at The Oldie Lunch

31 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Fort talks about his book, Tom Fort talks about his book, The Village News: The Truth Behind England's Rural Idyll, at The Oldie Literary Lunch at...

November 2017 Issue: Peter Cook at 80

04 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Editor Harry Mount discusses Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and The Establishment – London's first (and last) satirical night club – with guests, Elisab...

Oldie Literary Lunch: John Julius Norwich, Four Princes

16 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

John Julius Norwich talks about his latest history book Four Princes: Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V, Suleiman the Magnificent and the Obsession at ...

Oldie Literary Lunch: Francis Beckett, Fascist in the Family

16 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Francis Beckett tells The Oldie Literary Lunch about his father: Fascist in the Family: The Tragedy of John Beckett M.P. The Oldie Literary Lunch is...

Oldie Literary Lunch: Chris Mullin, Hinterland

16 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Ex Labour MP and campaigner for justice tells the Oldie Literary lunch guests all about his life in his memoir Hinterland. The Oldie Literary Lunch...

Oldie of the Year Awards 2017: Mary Cameron, ‘Mother Knows Best’ award

09 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The judging panel chose to celebrate Mary Cameron, David Cameron’s mother with a ‘Mother Knows Best’ award. The retired magistrate, signed a pet...

Oldie of the Year Awards 2017: Glenda Jackson our ‘Oldie of the Year'

09 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Glenda Jackson, two-time academy award winner and ex-Labour MP returned to the stage last year as King Lear in a sell-out run at the Old Vic … and a...

OLDIE OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2017

09 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Simpson’s-in-the-strand was alight when The Oldie favourites united for a hearty lunch of steak and kidney pie to honour The Oldie of the Year. Th...

Oldie Literary Lunch: Francis Beckett, 1956: The Year That Changed Britain

30 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Author Francis Beckett talking his book 1956: The Year That Changed Britain at an Oldie Literary lunch as part of the Chester Literature festival.