Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

If you're a fan of pop music, radio, or the legendary "Sounds of the 60s" show, then you'll know and love our guest today: Tony Blackburn. And Tony is part of broadcasting - and music - history: he was the first ever disc jockey on air on BBC Radio One in September 1967. We hear about this, and about how Tony and others - including Kenny Everett - helped to create the new figure of the DJ in the UK and to completely change the cultural landscape. Suddenly young people could hear the music they loved, all day long, on the radio. Tony talks about all this, and also tells Gyles about his childhood in Poole, his loving parents, his inspiring sister, his schooldays. He talks about his days on the pirate ships, and about his first marriage, and about his singing career. And this whole episode is full of laughter and fun. Thank you to Tony for coming on Rosebud and for recording such an evocative and fascinating conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we join Gyles on a research trip to the sex shops and shows of Copenhagen with Lord Longford, other members of the Pornography Commission, and assorted members of the press. Because of that, this episode of Rosebud does contain some sexual content. We also hear about a dinner party at Fanny Craddock's, one of Michael Redgrave's final performances, and Michele's fears about her vichyssoise soup. Plus we read a poem from a Rosebud listener. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthew Syed - table tennis Olympian, writer, broadcaster, thinker and Rosebud fan - is our guest today. And this is a genuinely fascinating, and inspiring, conversation. Matthew tells Gyles about his unconventional and wonderful family: his charismatic father, his hardworking and loving mum, his brother and sister and his best friend, Mark. He talks about his Pakistani father's experience of racism at work, he talks about how he and his brother got into table tennis, and how the unique ecosystem in their part of Reading - guided by the teacher, mentor and coach, Peter Charters - created a number of champions in the sport. Matthew's story is fascinating, gripping, and moving. We really encourage you to listen to this episode - this interview, and the characters who are described in it, will inspire you. It's a special one. Thank you to Matthew for sharing your story with us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest today is the broadcaster Angela Rippon, who looks back at her childhood and her career of over 60 years in newspapers, television and radio. From her close-knit family in Plymouth, with a doting father and a hardworking mother, Angela was instilled with the values that have led her to have a career of impressive longevity. She tells Gyles about her father's interesting war, about his present to her of a Box Brownie camera which would later inspire her to become a photo-journalist, and about her close friends from school. She talks about her first job on the local papers in Plymouth, about rising through the ranks at the BBC and about the TV-AM debacle of the 1980s. She talks about Strictly and about her first memory of joy. Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gyles talks to the writer, psychotherapist and agony aunt Philippa Perry. And this is a fascinating conversation about family dynamics, the salience of childhood experience, and how small adjustments in the way we speak to children can make a big difference to their self-esteem. It's also about how Philippa's own emotionally cold childhood - via Swiss finishing school and private detective work - led her to become one of the UK's best selling writers on psychotherapy. Her books "The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read" and "The Book You Want Everyone You Love to Read" have sold millions of copies worldwide. Philippa is also well known as the wife of the artist and Rosebud alumnus Grayson Perry, and she tells Gyles about their first date and about why their relationship works so well.Philippa's Substack is well worth reading and subscribing to here.Enjoy this! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's diary time, diary fans - yippee! In this episode, Gyles gets invited onto Lord Longford's famous committee to investigate pornography, and sex, on film and television. Gyles is there to represent the voice of youth, along with Cliff Richard. Plus Gyles carries on with his "son et lumière" production company, hangs out with Cyril Fletcher, and his parents move into a hotel. Plus an email and a fun case of mistaken identity. Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lee Mack is one of the funniest and most successful British comedians working today; and if you're a fan of Would I Lie To You? then you'll no doubt know, and love, his work. In this fascinating and in-depth conversation we find out the roots of Lee's talent for making people laugh. He tells Gyles about his childhood, growing up above pubs in the North West, in a family atmosphere that was full of parties, jokes and fun, and never touched on anything serious. That changed when his parents suddenly separated, and Lee started a new school and found that the best way to fit in was to be the class clown. We hear about the year he spent working at the stables where they'd trained Red Rum, and his talent for darts. We hear about meeting his wife and his first standup gig. This is a rare podcast appearance from Lee: thank you to him for his honesty, openness and for all the funny stories.Lee hosts the 1% Club, which is on ITV on Saturdays. He created, writes, and stars in, Not Going Out, which is one of Harriet's favourite shows, and is well worth a watch and is available on BBC iPlayer. And, of course, he is a team captain on Would I Lie To You? and is brilliant at it.Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Armistice Day, we bring you an episode of Rosebud which opens at the Garden of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey, where Gyles meets veteran and double amputee turned skydiver Al Hodgson. We then take you to Salisbury, and an interview with Sir Nicholas Soames, himself a former soldier who later became a longstanding Conservative member of parliament, recorded live at Godolphin School in aid of the Edward Heath Charitable Foundation. Sir Nicholas talks to Gyles about his remarkable family: his grandfather was Sir Winston Churchill. We hear what Churchill was like as a grandfather and family man, about his unusual daily routine, and about his immense courage. We hear about Clementine Churchill, and about Sir Nicholas's parents - Christopher and Mary Soames, and their distinguished careers. This is a fascinating episode about a great family who were so central to the history of Britain in the twentieth century. Sir Edward Heath's former home in Salisbury Cathedral Close, Arundells, is open to the public and is well worth a visit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Petula Clark has been famous since she was a child, when she was discovered on a wartime BBC radio show, and she has been on the radio, film and television ever since. In this episode she talks to Gyles about her remarkable and long career, about what it was like to grow up as a child star and about her complex relationship with her father. She talks about finding fame in France, and about Downtown, Don't Sleep in the Subway and working with Fred Astaire. She talks about her mother's early death from tuberculosis, and the death last year of her husband, Claude Wolff. This is a fascinating, poignant and intriguing conversation with one of our most enduring stars. Petula Clark's new book, "Is That You, Petula?" is out now and available here. Thank you Petula for taking the time to talk to us at Rosebud. Cue the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another great episode of diaries for you, featuring another special appearance from Michèle, Gyles's wife. In this episode we discuss whether you can have too much of a good thing, we find out what one word we'd each use to describe one another, and we read a listener email from Claire Gammon in Sydney. Gyles's diaries are from the second half of 1970, in which he and Michèle rent their first flat, in Muswell Hill, north London. Gyles meets lots of people from the BBC and, at the end of the year, Gyles and Michèle go on a memorable trip to Israel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The actor Samuel West is our guest today, and we recorded this episode earlier this month, not long before his mother, Prunella Scales's death on 27 October, and not long after his father, Timothy West's memorial service in London (Timothy West died in November 2024). In this conversation, Sam talks about his parents, Timothy West and Prunella Scales, and what it was like to grow up immersed in the theatrical world. Timothy was often away on tour, and Sam talks about missing him - but being inspired by his work ethic and by the life of the classical touring actor. He talks about his mother's talent and about her famous portrayal of Sybil Fawlty. He talks about his own university days, and how winning a bottle of champagne in a first year drama competition was a turning point. He talks about Stanislavsky and the craft of acting. And finally he talks about his parents' love of barge holidays, and the joy their TV barging brought to so many.This episode is a celebration of a great theatrical family, and we're delighted and honoured that Sam recorded a Rosebud conversation with Gyles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gyles speaks to the novelist and writer Sebastian Faulks, who tells him about his childhood growing up in Berkshire and his clear memories of being left at boarding school when he was seven. He talks about his rebellious streak, drawn out by rock and pop music, which manifested itself in periods of instability at school and university. He talks about the close friends he made at Cambridge, and going on University Challenge. He talks about writing his first novel and how he had his breakout moment. Sebastian's new book, a collection of autobiographical essays called 'Fires Which Burned Brightly: A Life in Progress' is out now, and available here. Many thanks to Sebastian for coming to talk to us on Rosebud. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is Charles Spencer: the writer, broadcaster, and heir to the Spencer family title and estate at Althorp, where his sister, Diana, is buried. In this unmissable conversation, Charles talks to Gyles about his childhood, the breakdown of his parents' marriage, and his mother's sudden and shocking departure from the family home. He talks about his three sisters, and his close relationship with Diana. He talks about his schooldays, and in particular his harrowing experience at Maidwell Hall prep school - this episode does include Charles's account of the corporal punishment that took place there and his own experience of serious sexual abuse by a staff member. He talks about his happier time at Eton. And finally, he talks about the eulogy he gave at Diana's funeral and the extraordinary effect it had. This is a fascinating, unflinching, and deeply moving conversation. Many thanks to Earl Spencer for being our guest on Rosebud. Charles Spencer's book, A Very Private School, is available here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A momentous time for the young GDB in this week's diaries, as he prepares to take his finals and to leave Oxford. The three years have flown by, as they do for all undergraduates - but Gyles has packed more in than most. And, despite the fact he's in the middle of his exams, he continues to do so this term. No sooner has the ink dried on his last history exam paper, he's off up to London to get his hair cut and appear as a talking head in a BBC election broadcast. All this, plus some vintage, and slightly hysterical, Gyles and Harriet chat. Enjoy this. You can find Rosebud on Instagram @therosebudpodcast and our new Facebook group "Rosebud Reflections" is fun too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir David Hare is one of the UK's most prolific and successful playwrights, and in this episode he talks to Gyles first about theatre, about great actors, and about the sensitivity necessary to writing drama; he also talks about his unusual childhood - his father was in the merchant navy and was rarely at home, his mother was resourceful and talented but also fearful and anxious. He talks about the teachers who helped inspire him to read and broaden his horizons. He talks about his relationship with the fashion designer Nicole Farhi, and about his new play Grace Pervades, which is about the Victorian actor Sir Henry Irving and his relationship with the great actress Ellen Terry. This is a wide-ranging conversation, bristling with honesty and self-awareness. Thank you Sir David for your time, energy and brilliant stories - we really were honoured to speak to you on Rosebud. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this long-awaited episode, Gyles (and Harriet) talk to the psychotherapist, writer and broadcaster Julia Samuel about bereavement. As regular Rosebud listeners will know, bereavement - whether in childhood or adulthood - is a recurring theme on the podcast, and we have received and shared many heartfelt and deeply moving emails from listeners who lost parents and family members when they were very young, and in difficult circumstances. We also know that we're listened to by lots of recent widows, and others who are grieving. This special episode is for you, and for anyone else who knows the pain of grief... which is probably most of us, let's be honest!Julia Samuel is the founder of Child Bereavement UK, an experienced psychotherapist, and the writer of the best-selling book Grief Works (which is also an app and a podcast). She is one of the UK's foremost experts on bereavement and grief, the ways it affects us, and the ways we can heal and grow through it. In this long and fascinating conversation, she talks to Gyles about the importance of "jumping in the puddle" of grief, and not denying or ignoring it. She talks about the best ways to support someone who has lost a loved one. She talks about her own family history, and the way her family story, with its secrets and buried feelings, led her to work in this field. And the podcast ends with Julia talking to Harriet about her experience of the death of her mother, Patience, who took her own life when Harriet was 13. (This episode does contain references to suicide).We would love to hear your thoughts and stories that arise from listening to this edition of Rosebud. Email us any time at hello@rosebudpodcast.com and Harriet will try her best to reply! You can also chat to fellow listeners on our Facebook page, Rosebud Reflections. Lots of people are sharing their stories on there.Julia's book, Grief Works, is available here. We're honoured to have Julia Samuel with us today. And we're honoured that you're listening to us. Cue the music... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben Elton was instrumental in the transformation of British comedy that took place in the 1980s. His scripts for The Young Ones and Blackadder were fresh, anarchic, rude, clever and hilarious. The people that worked alongside Ben - Richard Curtis, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Rik Mayall, Ade Edmondson, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders - to name but a few - are legendary. In this episode of Rosebud, Ben talks to Gyles about his parents, his father's family story - they had escaped persecution in Germany at the start of the war - and how he became interested in comedy as a young boy. He talks about the process of writing Blackadder, which was sometimes tortuous, and what it felt like to be slated by the critics when We Will Rock You first opened in the West End.Ben's autobiography, "What Have I Done?" is out now and available here. Rosebud has a new website www.rosebudpodcast.co.uk and a new Facebook group - just search "Rosebud Reflections". Enjoy this! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've got a very special guest joining Gyles and Harriet in this episode of the diaries - and this is a really fun edition of the podcast as a result. Stay tuned to find out who it is... Gyles starts his third year at Oxford, and puts on a debate at the Union with Fanny Craddock. Meanwhile, he is stood up by Barry Humphries, gets a new history tutor who is fond of red wine, and tries to help his father through a financial crisis. Enjoy this, diary fans! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're excited to present the multi-million selling author and creator of Jack Reacher, Lee Child, as our guest today. And this is a brilliant episode. Lee is a master storyteller - painting a vivid picture of his childhood in Birmingham, his well-meaning but cold parents, his early forays into relationships with girls, and his days working at Granada Television. He also tells Gyles about his writing routine. This is a funny, fascinating and evocative episode with one of the best selling writers of all time.If you're a Rosebud fan, you can join our new Facebook community: just search Rosebud Reflections on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/782397874458836. You can also follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/therosebudpodcast/. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A moving and important true story is the subject of More Rosebud today, featuring the writer and social justice campaigner Lee Lawrence. Lee's mother, Cherry Groce, was wrongfully shot by a police officer in a dawn raid on their house in Brixton, south London, on the 28 September 1985 - 40 years ago this weekend. Cherry was paralysed in the incident, and spent the rest of her life in a wheelchair, until her death in 2011. Her son, Lee, was just 11 at the time, and witnessed everything. Lee then spent the rest of his teenage years caring for his mum, and most of his adult life fighting for a proper investigation into what went wrong during the planning and execution of the raid, and for an apology and some accountability from the metropolitan police. This is a gripping, shocking and sobering story.Lee's books 'The Louder I Will Sing' and 'The Colour of Injustice' are highly recommended, and 'The Colour of Injustice' is available here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.