Al Murray
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Who is Al Murray and what is his connection to the Second World War?
D U B E S O R I'm coming to you backwards and forwards. This is Rosebud. I'm Joss Brandworth, Cue the Music.
Hello, I'm Giles Brandreth. It's a Friday. It's a Friday in September. And I have to tell you something. Sometimes I feel a bit blue in September. Is it the beginning of the new school year? It makes me feel oh a little apprehensive. Going back to work, summer is over. I wanted a chuckle today. I wanted somebody who usually makes me laugh as a guest. And I found that very person. It's a comedian. He's called Al Murray. He has been making me laugh now for almost a quarter of a century. And I think he first became famous in the late nineteen nineties. He's now a household name. Uh he's not just a comedian, though Being a comedian is quite enough. He's also somebody who's a bit of an authority on the Second World War.
I know because he told me that his grandfather died at Dunkirk. I also know because he told me that when he was a boy his um dad took him to see The film A Bridge Too Far. And that made him totally fascinated by, maybe I'd say obsessed by the Second World War. As a consequence, he has a hugely successful podcast called We Have Ways of Making You Talk, which is an exploration of every aspect of the Second World War. And this is a big weekend in his life because it's the We Have Ways Festival. It's his podcast in festival mode. It takes place at the Black Pit Brewery in Buckinghamshire, and people who are fascinated by the Second World War get together. They listen to his podcast. They share stories. Yeah.
They look into the history, they explore all the aspects of it. And I wanted to explore all the aspects of Al Murray, the pub landlord. If you like his comedy and I do, you'll find he's on a nationwide tour any minute now, as the pub landlord. But I wanted to discover who Al Murray actually is. Where he comes from, what his family was like. What are the roots of Al Murray? And there's much more to him than you might expect. I think I'm going to enjoy this. Welcome to Rosebud, with me, Giles Brandworth, and with my very special guest, the pub landlord himself. Yes, it's Al Murray. Cue the music.
Al Murray, before I begin, the Al is short for
Alistair.
Alistair with an I or an A?
With an A. An A? Does that spell properly, yeah. Wha what's the difference? I've no idea.
Is one of them Scottish?
Yes, the with the with the A is more Scottish. I think so than the I. So you're with an A, is that a middle name? Um James Hay. So my my my James is my mother's father, who um who was killed in the war she never knew, and then Hay is an is a Murray family first son appendage name that uh that had I had a son he wouldn't I wouldn't have bothered. But um so my uh father is England Bernard Hay and then
Anyway, we'll come to all that soon, yeah. Alistair Murray. Yes. I've got that bit now. Born on the tenth of May nineteen sixty eight. That's correct. So the light is very flattering here 'cause Well done you. Uh good. I have to ask you,
Al. You've been called Al all your life? Um yes, well although I had a nickname when I was a boy. My my family used to call me Buzz. Oh. Um and and that was what everyone called me. I st I think I've still an aunt who's like sort of holdout, he still calls me that. But basically they all called me that. And then when I was about seventeen, eighteen, I said, No, no, no, we're We're not we're not going with the childish nickname anymore and and I'm I'm owl net from now on. But why were you buzz? I think 'cause my I made peculiar noises when I was small. My dad my dad is a great nicknamer. He gave everyone multiple nicknames. We all had we all all of us as children had nicknames. Everyone had nicknames. And it was it was a sort of thing he
I I think probably it was easier than remembering our names, you know. So uh uh so we all had yeah, we all had nicknames. Well, Al
Buzz
Murray. That's a good showbiz
name,
Buzz Murray. Buzz Murray. Yeah, yeah.
Actually it's more of an agent's name. Yes, possibly. Though Al is also an agent's name. It is a very much an agent's name. Who's looking after you? Oh, oh god, Al with Al Murray now.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
Who is Al Murray and what is his connection to the Second World War?
0:00–7:33
2
How did Al’s family history and wartime ancestors shape his interests?
7:33–16:31
3
What was Al’s childhood like and why did he dislike prep school?
16:31–26:17
4
How did Al’s university experience lead him into comedy and performance?
26:17–33:18
5
What inspired Al to create the ‘We Have Ways of Making You Talk’ podcast?
33:18–40:42
6
How does Al balance his roles as comedian, podcaster, husband and father?
40:42–50:33
7
What personal challenges and turning points does Al recall from his early adult life?
50:33–59:57
8
What lasting lessons does Al share about work ethic, humor and staying curious?
59:57–1:10:21