Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

Simon Armitage, The Poet Laureate

25 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's the week of William Shakespeare's birthday, so Gyles has poetry on his mind... and we thought we'd celebrate with a special conversation recorded...

More Rosebud - Gyles's diary, episode 13: the second half of 1965 - adventures in Switzerland, school reports and a family argument

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We begin this episode of Gyles's diary in Switzerland, where he's spending the summer as an au pair to the family of the Head of the Swiss Army. He be...

Sir Tim Rice

18 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sir Tim Rice, lyricist extraordinaire, is Gyles's guest today. Tim is one of the few people in the entertainment world to have won an Emmy, a Grammy, ...

More Rosebud - Wayne Sleep

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Wayne Sleep was once called "the finest virtuoso ballet dancer the Royal Ballet has ever produced" by the founder of the company, Ninette de Valois. I...

Brian Cox

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Brian Cox is one of the finest classical actors of his generation. Fans of Succession will of course know him for his portrayal of the ruthless media ...

More Rosebud - Gyles's diary, episode 12: the first half of 1965 - Debs' Delights, Gyles's 17th birthday, and Churchill's funeral

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After a three-week wait, we're back with another episode of the young Gyles Brandreth's diary. In these extracts, which take us up to the start of the...

Grand National special - Sam Waley-Cohen, champion jockey

05 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In a complete one-off, Rosebud is releasing an episode on a Saturday, because our guest is the 2022 Grand National winner, and two-times winner of the...

Sue Perkins

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We're really delighted that Sue Perkins is our guest on Rosebud this week, and this is a special conversation. Gyles and Sue have known and worked wit...

Harry Hill

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today's More Rosebud is an unexpected April treat from the great comedian Harry Hill. You'll know Harry from his brilliant TV shows like TV Burp and A...

Sir Grayson Perry

28 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today Gyles speaks to a remarkable person: Sir Grayson Perry. Artist, presenter, thinker and fashion icon, Perry is a unique figure who has led an unu...

More Rosebud: First memories from John Humphrys, Dame Jacqueline Wilson and more...

25 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode you join Gyles and Harriet at the Oldie of the Year lunch, where Harriet asks some of the guests at the event for their first memories...

Ed Balls

21 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Gyles really enjoyed meeting this week's guest, Ed Balls, because he enjoyed bonding over their shared experience of Westminster. And the political go...

More Rosebud - Gyles's diary, episode 11: the second half of 1964 - a road trip, election fever and school reports

18 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We're back, diary fans, with another instalment from Gyles's diary. This one starts in the 1964 summer holidays, Gyles is 16, and he's off on a road t...

Dame Kristin Scott Thomas

14 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dame Kristin Scott Thomas is one of our best, most distinctive, and most watchable actresses, and we're delighted that she's our guest on Rosebud toda...

More Rosebud - Professor Brett Kahr: Freudian Psychotherapist

11 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In another special episode dedicated to the how, what and why of memory, Gyles talks to his long-time friend and colleague Professor Brett Kahr. Profe...

Josh Widdicombe

07 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Gyles is talking to one of his favourite comedians in today's Rosebud - Josh Widdicombe. Josh tells Gyles about his early days growing up in Devon; ab...

More Rosebud - Gyles's Diary, episode 10: the first half of 1964 - O-levels, A Study in Sherlock, and lessons learnt

04 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We've another action-packed episode of Gyles's teenage diary for you, diary fans. The young Brandreth continues to busy himself on multiple fronts - w...

Sigourney Weaver

28 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Rosebud is thrilled to present to you one of the truly great Hollywood actresses of her generation: Sigourney Weaver. Known for her groundbreaking per...

More Rosebud - Tariq Ali

25 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tariq Ali is one of the most famous and recognisable figures of the revolutionary student movements of the 1960s. In his distinctive red Aquascutum ma...

Sir James Dyson

21 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sir James Dyson talks to Gyles about his remarkable journey: from academic under-achiever to one of the world's most successful inventors and business...

More Rosebud - Gyles's Diary, episode 9: the second half of 1963 - Twelfth Night, Kennedy's assassination, and more

18 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After the relationship turbulence of the first six months of the year (you can hear all about that in the last episode - episode 8), our hero, the 15 ...

Nigel Havers: The Valentine's Day Rosebud

14 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's Valentine's Day, and we at Rosebud knew we needed to find someone special, to spread the love to you, our gorgeous listeners: we needed to find o...

More Rosebud... Posting Letters to the Moon - the letters of Celia Johnson and Peter Fleming, with Lucy Fleming and Simon Williams

11 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lucy Fleming and Simon Williams give Rosebud a truly romantic Valentine's treat today, as they read the wartime letters of Lucy's parents: Celia Johns...

Rosebud on the Road: Mark Gatiss

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Gatiss: actor, writer, producer, director and creator - this is someone who makes Gyles Brandreth look like an under-achiever! From The League of...

More Rosebud - Gyles's Diary, episode 8: the first half of 1963 - sexual politics at Bedales and beyond

04 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You're in luck, diary fans, as this is one of the most enthralling episodes yet of Gyles's schoolboy diaries. It's the first half of 1963 and at schoo...

Vanessa Feltz

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Vanessa Feltz wows Gyles with some of the funniest stories he's ever heard on Rosebud: from a first kiss with Pete Tong by the pool i...

More Rosebud... Paul McKenna: Power Manifesting

28 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of More Rosebud, the hypnotist and self-help writer Paul McKenna talks to Gyles about a subject you may have heard about before on Ros...

Krishnan Guru-Murthy

24 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Krishnan Guru-Murthy has been presenting the news on Channel 4 since 1998, but his career began long before that, when he was only a teenager. In fact...

More Rosebud - Gyles's diary, episode 7: the second half of 1962 - summer holidays in Paris and a part in the Bedales school play

21 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to part 7 of Gyles reading from the diaries he has kept since he was 10. Gyles is now 14, and a pupil at Bedales, a progressive Hampshire boar...

Dame Penelope Wilton

17 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We're honoured to have the great Dame Penelope Wilton as our very special guest on Rosebud today, in a rare podcast interview for this distinguished a...

More Rosebud... Danny Baker

14 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Danny Baker tells Gyles his extraordinary rags to riches story - from a council house in Bermondsey to partying with Elton John and Rod Stewart. He te...

Sir Vivian Richards

10 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is a sporting legend, and one of cricket's all-time greats: Sir Vivian Richards. Sir Vivian talks to Gyles about his childhood in the ...

More Rosebud - Gyles's diary, episode 6: the first half of 1962 - more Bedales adventures

07 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This is episode 6 of Gyles reading from his schoolboy diaries. He's still at Bedales, and settling in - getting his newspaper delivered every morning,...

Hugh Bonneville

03 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's the start of a big new year of podcasts from Rosebud, and we're beginning with a real treat for you - an interview with one of Britain's most suc...

More Rosebud - Happiness

31 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's the eve of the beginning of a brand new year, so we're asking the most fundamental question: what is happiness? How can we try to live a happy li...

The Rosebud Selection Box

27 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today it's time to put away the Christmas chocolates and instead feast on this Rosebud Selection Box. Forget the Celebrations, this is the Christmas t...

The Rosebud Christmas Eve Extravaganza

24 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's Christmas Eve, the most magical day of the year, and we have an episode full of poetry and music for you. This features: Gyles reading a classic ...

Dame Mary Berry

20 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When we tell you that today's guest brought a delicious coffee cake along to the Rosebud recording, you'll know it could only be one woman: Dame Mary ...

More Rosebud - James Rebanks: the shepherd's life and times

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest on More Rosebud today is James Rebanks, sheep-farmer and writer of best-selling books 'The Shepherd's Life' and 'English Pastoral', as well ...

Tom Holland

13 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Holland, co-host of The Rest Is History, is Gyles's guest this week. And, fittingly, this episode is full of history - Augustus, Napoleon III, Bra...

More Rosebud... Gyles's diary, episode 5: the second half of 1961 - Gyles's first term at Bedales.

10 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Another foray into Gyles's schoolboy diaries today, and this time it's the second half of 1961. In this chapter we find out what happens when Gyles st...

Boris Johnson

06 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week Boris Johnson is on the Rosebud couch, and Gyles tries to get him off the usual political topics and instead talking about where it all bega...

More Rosebud... Gyles's talk at the Henley Literary Festival

03 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today's Rosebud is an enormously entertaining talk given by Gyles at the Henley Literary Festival. Ostensibly about Gyles's books - Prose and Cons, a ...

Sir Matthew Bourne

29 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sir Matthew Bourne's reimaginings of classic works like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Carmen have become legendary, and have transformed our ideas of ...

More Rosebud... Gyles's diary, episode 4: the first half of 1961 - Gyles's last two terms at prep school.

26 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Another treat for you today, as Gyles carries on reading from his childhood diaries and discusses things with Harriet. In this chapter we join Gyles a...

Michael Ball and Alfie Boe

22 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we welcome the singers Michael Ball and Alfie Boe. Ball and Boe have been singing together for ten years, and are about to release their six...

More... Elizabeth McGovern

19 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today on More Rosebud Gyles talks to the American actress, singer-songwriter and star of Downton Abbey Elizabeth McGovern. In this conversation they t...

Prue Leith

15 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we welcome the restaurateur, entrepreneur, cook, writer and judge of Great British Bake Off Prue Leith onto Rosebud. Prue tells Gyles about ...

More Rosebud... Gyles's diary, episode 3: The second half of 1960 - Gyles goes on summer holidays to Germany and France

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Exciting news: it's time for the next instalment of Gyles's schoolboy diaries. In this episode, the young GB goes on his holidays, to Germany and then...

Alan Titchmarsh

08 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Alan Titchmarsh has been gardening since he was a child, and in this special episode of Rosebud (recorded live in Salisbury in aid of Arundells, the f...

More... Kate Mosse

05 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode of More Rosebud, we meet the bestselling writer and literary powerhouse Kate Mosse. Kate's historical novels have been global hits,...

Timothy Spall

01 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we are extremely lucky to welcome Timothy Spall onto Rosebud, in what is a rare podcast interview with the great man. Tim is one of our most...

Gyles's diary, episode 2: the first half of 1960 - further adventures at prep school

29 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's time for episode two of Gyles's childhood diaries. It's 1960, he's eleven going on twelve, and still a pupil at boarding school in Kent. We hear ...

Rick Stein

25 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Rick Stein is one of Britain's best-loved chefs. He's also a highly successful businessman, restaurateur, writer and TV presenter, who has single-hand...

More... Lisa Squire

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve got a very different kind of guest this week. It’s Lisa Squire, the mother of Libby Squire, who was born on the 1st January 1998 and tragica...

Dame Harriet Walter

18 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dame Harriet Walter is one of the UK's most distinguished stage actresses, and an award-winning star of Ted Lasso and Succession. In this candid inter...

More Rosebud - Gyles's Diary, episode 1: 1959 - starting prep school

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is the first of our episodes in which Gyles reads from his childhood diaries, and Gyles and Harriet discuss the events therein. In this episode, ...

Pam Ayres

11 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Get ready for a really wonderful edition of Rosebud, with the poet and performer Pam Ayres. Pam makes Gyles laugh and cry with the stories from her fa...

More Rosebud... Petroc Trelawney

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest on this episode of More Rosebud is Petroc Trelawney, the broadcaster and writer who is best known as a presenter on BBC Radio 3. Petroc is a...

Sandi Toksvig

04 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sandi Toksvig is someone we've wanted to have on Rosebud for a long time... so we're really delighted that she's today's guest! Sandi talks to Gyles a...

More... Dame Maggie Smith and Kathleen Turner

01 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is a very special conversation, recorded in March 2022, between Gyles and two great stars, who were also great friends: Dame Maggie Smith and Kat...

Tom Parker Bowles

27 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Gyles's guest this week is Tom Parker Bowles, food writer, critic, son of Queen Camilla and step-son of King Charles III. Tom tells Gyles about his id...

Rochelle Humes

20 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Rochelle Humes: popstar, business woman, TV personality, wife and mother. Gyles and Rochelle know each other from This Morning, but in this chat Gyles...

Stephen Fry

13 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's a big moment for Rosebud, because in this episode Gyles talks to Stephen Fry about his first memories. As you can imagine, this is a brilliant co...

Terry Pendry: Queen Elizabeth II's groom at Windsor Castle

06 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On 8th September 2024, it is the second anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II. In memory of that day, and of the Queen, our guest today is Te...

The Memory Man - Professor Jon Simons, cognitive neuroscientist and head of the Cambridge Memory Lab

30 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Rosebud is a year old, so it's time for something a little bit different: to round off our first year, Gyles is talking to Professor Jon Simons - who ...

Felicity Kendal

23 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Felicity Kendal's irresistible performance as Barbara in The Good Life made her a household name almost 50 years ago; but her life was unique and fasc...

Michael Rosen

16 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Rosen is one of Britain's most popular poets - his poetry is loved by children all round the world, either through Michael's brilliant perform...

Aled Jones

09 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Aled Jones has been famous since he was only 13, when he was a choirboy at Bangor Cathedral in North Wales with a beautiful voice. In this interview h...

Anne Reid

02 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Joining Gyles this week is is one of Britain's best loved actresses, Anne Reid. Anne's long career began when a teacher at school persuaded her to app...

Richard Ayoade

26 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Richard Ayoade is Gyles's guest this week. A director, writer and actor, Ayoade is well known for his portrayal of Maurice Moss in cult sitcom The I.T...

It's our 50th episode! Dame Maureen Lipman

19 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's a big day for Rosebud, as it's our 50th episode. No, we can't quite believe it either! We started Rosebud in September 2023 with Dame Judi Dench,...

Omid Djalili

12 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The comedian, actor, star of The Mummy, and activist Omid Djalili talks to Gyles about his life and memories. From his childhood, growing up in an unc...

Kathleen Stock

05 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week's Rosebud guest is Professor Kathleen Stock, the philosopher and writer. As Gyles says in his introduction, Stock has, at times, been a cont...

Robert Lindsay

28 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Robert Lindsay is Gyles's guest this week, and the conversation they have is brilliant: evocative, revealing, and funny. Robert takes Gyles back to hi...

Björn Ulvaeus - ABBA legend

21 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Björn Ulvaeus is pop music royalty, a founder member of one the most successful pop groups in history - ABBA. So when Gyles was given the opportunity...

Suzy Eddie Izzard

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week's guest is the stand-up comedian, actor, marathon-runner and political activist Suzy Eddie Izzard. Suzy tells Gyles about her new name, and ...

Chris McCausland

07 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Gyles gets together with comedian Chris McCausland to record a really special episode of Rosebud. Chris takes Gyles back to his childhood days, playin...

Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who is the cleverest person in Britain? When Gyles asked this question to readers of his columns last year, one name was mentioned more than any other...

Alexander Armstrong

24 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Gyles and Alexander Armstrong reminisce about Alexander's idyllic childhood in Northumberland, the son of a country GP. They talk about his school yea...

Reverend Richard Coles

17 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Gyles meets the writer, clergyman and former member of the Communards Reverend Richard Coles. Together they talk about Richard's childhood, growing up...

Katherine Ryan

10 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Gyles has fun talking to Katherine Ryan about her early memories and formative experiences, with added discussions about the rights and wrongs of plas...

John Cleese

03 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Gyles has John Cleese in the Rosebud hotseat. Gyles finds out about John's childhood, growing up in the Westcountry during the war, with a ...

TREAT EPISODE: Dermot O'Leary

29 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dermot O'Leary and Gyles know each other from the This Morning sofa, but here they get the chance to sit down for a proper in-depth conversation. Derm...

Sir Keir Starmer

26 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode Gyles talks to the Leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer. This isn't a political interview, instead it's an in-depth and fascin...

Merlin Holland: Grandson of Oscar Wilde

19 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

21st April is the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, and in celebration of this we're giving you an interview with Merlin Holland, who has an unusual cla...

Twiggy

12 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Gyles's guest this week is Dame Twiggy Lawson, and this episode is recorded live at the Rose Theatre in Kingston, Surrey. Twiggy shot to fame as a 16 ...

Anneka Rice

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week Gyles hears the reminiscences of the presenter, writer and painter Anneka Rice. Rice grew up in Surrey, the daughter of a builder and a fru...

Charles Dance

29 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The actor, director, and Game Of Thrones star Charles Dance tells Gyles about his childhood, adolescence and the early years of his career: which are ...

Rupert Everett

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Gyles takes Rupert Everett back to his childhood and teenage years, and be warned: not only is this episode hilarious, but it's also slightly more adu...

Val McDermid

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Val McDermid tells Gyles her remarkable story. An only child from Kirkcaldy in Fife, the daughter of a welder and a shop assistant, Val became obsesse...

Elizabeth Day

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Gyles talks to Elizabeth Day, host and creator of the hit podcasts How to Fail and Best Friend Therapy, and author of multiple best-selling...

Dame Jilly Cooper

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's the fifth of the Rosebud Dames, and in this episode Gyles is talking to Dame Jilly Cooper about her life and times. They talk about her childhood...

Richard Dawkins

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Gyles's guest this week is the renowned evolutionary biologist, Richard Dawkins. At the end of the episode, Gyles asks Richard how he would like to be...

VALENTINE'S SPECIAL: Clare Balding and Alice Arnold

16 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's Valentine's week, and we're celebrating with our first ever Rosebud couple: Clare Balding and Alice Arnold. This is a truly romantic and life-aff...

Lulu

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Well, this episode has got it all: gripping stories, laughter, tears and a lot of singing. Gyles takes Lulu back to memories of her childhood in Glas...

Dame Esther Rantzen

02 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dame Esther Rantzen is a tour de force: journalist, TV presenter and campaigner, her vision and dynamism brought about the nationwide helpline for chi...

David Mitchell

26 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Gyles invites the brilliant comedian, actor and writer David Mitchell to look back at his early memories. This chat starts with David's childhood, and...

Rob Brydon

19 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Rob Brydon looks back on his childhood and adolescence in South Wales. From riding around on bikes pretending to be Starsky and Hutch, to h...

Geri Halliwell-Horner

12 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Geri Halliwell-Horner is a woman of many guises. She's been Ginger Spice, a hugely successful recording artiste and member of the world's biggest girl...