Penelope Tree is as engaging a podcast guest as she is a debut novelist, captivating listeners with her intelligent candour and timeless elegance. Her reflections on her teenage and young adult years, filled with both glamour and grit, serve as the foundation for Piece of Your Heart—a novel that vividly captures the soaring highs and the frankly hellish lows of the 1960s fashion world. To pen such an accomplished debut novel in her 70s is not only an incredible achievement but also a source of inspiration. It’s a reminder that creativity knows no age and that it’s never too late to embrace new ambitions and share your story. It’s a novel and a story, that makes you feel there’s hope for us all.
Over drinks and the sound of clinking ice at Auriens, host Catherine Fairweather meets Bruce en route to his first major retrospective in Prague. He reflects on shaping the zeitgeist of the eighties and nineties with his sometimes provocative yet always glamorous campaigns for Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein. Bruce muses on a show that celebrates the unique relationships he forged with his subjects, from the late Stella Tennant, whom he deeply admired, to Kate Moss and countless others. We discuss how fortunate we were to experience the glory days of print journalism—and the unfortunate ways in which 9/11 truly marked the end of an era. Stay tuned for his favourite poem to live by at the end.
In this episode of The Third Act, Catherine Fairweather sits down over tea at Auriens Chelsea with British film and style icon, Bill Nighy. Together, they dive into his upcoming role in Joy, in which he portrays pioneering IVF surgeon Patrick Steptoe. Nighy also reflects on the highs and lows of life on stage, sharing candid stories about stage fright and the pressures of live performance. Join us for a droll conversation with 'a national treasure', whose dry and, sometimes, irreverent wit; and whose immaculate sense of timing has engaged audiences for decades.
At 91, Dame Sheila Hancock reflects on a life rich in experiences which have sometimes tested, sometimes burnished her resilient and independent spirit. Known for her dynamic career on stage and screen— Cabaret, Sweeney Todd, and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas—Dame Sheila has spent the more recent decades captivating a new audience of readers with her writing and sharp wit, the most recent being the captivating memoir of a long life well lived in Old Rage. Yet her drive extends well beyond the arts; Sheila is something of an activist and campaigner, whose life is as powered by compassion and espousing causes as it is a restless thirst for knowledge. This episode offers an inspiring glimpse into the wisdom, humour, and tenacity of one of the UK’s most talented Dames.
Host, Catherine Fairweather, is joined by the wonderful Pattie Boyd in warm confessional mode. In this episode, she’s honest about the flip side of celebrity, the sense of feeling invisible as a model in an era when you were judged purely on how you looked, and the highs and lows of being married to famous rockstars George Harrison and Eric Clapton. Motherhood is elusive but we explore how Pattie Boyd finds purpose and direction, particularly in her later years, with photography and travelling.
Explorer and environmentalist Robin Hanbury-Tenison recounts his life journey with host Catherine Fairweather, from early adventures in the far reaches to a near-death experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss his transformative coma visions, dedication to Indigenous rights and the environment with Survival International, and his transition from explorer to advocate for preserving natural and cultural heritage. Robin reflects on the evolution of exploration with modern technology and muses on the importance, psychologically, of getting lost.
In this episode of The Third Act, host Catherine Fairweather reconnects with Susannah Constantine, the famed TV presenter and fashion guru, after nearly three decades. Susannah opens up about her struggle with alcoholism, her path to sobriety, and the profound influence of her family history on her personal battles. She also shares humorous and poignant anecdotes about her experiences within royal circles and the evolution of her career.
Catherine Fairweather sits down with Bill Wyman, the iconic ex-Rolling Stones bassist, for an intimate conversation at Auriens Chelsa. Bill Wyman is the most unlikely rockstar, a man given to quieter pursuits such as metal-detecting, archiving, photography and writing - the latest memoir being Billy in the Wars which they discuss here over a glass of wine at Auriens. Catherine also talks to the legendary bassist about why he left The Rolling Stones at the height of its fame, how we can learn from our mistakes and bad, and the dual sense of loneliness and community in his wartime London childhood. Tune in to hear Catherine and Bill discuss gifts of later life and the legacy of love bestowed by his adored grandmother.
In this episode, former Bloomsbury editor-in-chief Alexandra Pringle shares her journey from a Chelsea girl to a leading figure in the literary world. With host, Catherine Fairweather she reminisces about her colourful Chelsea childhood, the romantic and challenging life on a houseboat, and her recent pivot to hosting writing masterclasses in Marrakesh. Alexandra opens up about her adventurous spirit, the significance of finding joy with her "Fun Squad," and her passion for storytelling, both in helping others and potentially exploring her own family history. She also touches on her views on financial independence, freedom of speech, and the importance of embracing risks and living fully at any age. Join us for an inspiring conversation that weaves together personal anecdotes, professional triumphs, and a zest for life.
Welcome to the third series of sparkling conversations with vintage minds. We're honoured to be speaking to Sir Michael Palin – a cultural icon, national treasure, and knighted in 2019 for his contributions to culture and travel. Known for his journeys on the BBC and Channel 5’s “Palin’s Travels,” he embodies courteous curiosity and quintessential English charm. Yet, his observations often come from left field, reflecting the anarchy of his Monty Python days with unforgettable sketches and groundbreaking films like "Monty Python's Life of Brian." He sat down with Catherine Fairweather at Auriens to reflect on the anarchy of his Monty Python days, his journeys covering 99 countries over three decades and to discuss his own Third Act.
Listen to the trailer for the much-anticipated third series of our podcast, The Third Act. Writer and journalist Catherine Fairweather chats with some of the world's most experienced artists, adventurers, actors, and entrepreneurs – hearing tales of triumphs and setbacks, exploring the intimate secrets of a life well-lived, and unpacking tricks for ageing gracefully (or otherwise). Featuring legendary travel documentarian Michael Palin, renowned publisher Alexandra Pringle, rock icon Bill Wyman, and the indomitable Lady Glenconnor, who penned her first bestseller at 87. Warm, witty, and invariably wise, this series will leave you with the strong belief that the best is yet to come.
Tina Brown is the trailblazing dynamo and former editor of Tatler, Vanity Fair and The New Yorker and famous for bringing the heady mix of the high low to magazine content. Her latest book on the Royals, the Palace Papers was revelatory and brilliantly researched but even she couldn't predict the seismic changes in the past year, the death of the Queen, the coronation and fresh mudslinging from some familiar members of the family. On the eve of her launch of the Truth Tellers Summit in Investigative Journalism, Tina joins host Catherine Fairweather to muse over the trajectory of a stellar career that isn’t over yet.
This week we welcome actor, writer and all-round cultural powerhouse, Simon Callow to the Third Act podcast. It was his part as Mozart in Amadeus that made him a star in the world of theatre, while Four Weddings and a Funeral made him a household name. As well as penning biographies on a variety of geniuses from Vagner to Dickens, Callow has proved that he can also turn his talents to song and dance as a director and opera producer. With host Catherine Fairweather, this prolific storyteller muses over the unexpected joys of growing older and also recalls the many performers, writers, performances and events that have left an indelible mark on his life.
We are thrilled to welcome Paulene Stone, the face of the sixties and Auriens' latest advertising campaign, to the ninth episode of the podcast. David Bailey's iconic photograph of Paulene kneeling down to kiss a squirrel in the park, which helped launch both their careers hangs in her new bathroom at Auriens Chelsea. Married four times, widowed twice, a single mother at 23 years old and the tragic loss of two of her three adult children, her life is the stuff of novels. With host Catherine Fairweather, Paulene muses over the perils of leaving school without a vocation, finding her feet as a supermodel and the joys of finding new friends at Auriens.
The renowned photographer Steve McCurry's most famous image, Afghan Girl with the green eyes, is just a snapshot of a searing portfolio of work conjuring vanishing cultures and ancient traditions. Throughout his 40-year career which has taken him through some of the world’s most dangerous war zones, McCurry has demonstrated a unique ability to transcend boundaries of culture and language to discover and document the human experience. In our eighth episode, he takes time out of his global wanderings to discuss settling down, the intersection of art and reportage, as well as the challenges of this magnum photographer's life in the next act with host Catherine Fairweather.
Rosie Boycott, now Baroness Boycott, reaches the parts that other peers can't reach. She is guaranteed to hold strong views on a variety of subjects from food waste to feminism, from obesity to domesticity, to motherhood and marriage, to the environment and the legalisation of drugs. A true opinion former, she cut her editorial teeth as co-founder and editor of Spare Rib magazine before moving on to becoming editor of Esquire, The Independent and The Daily Express. A self-confessed recovering alcoholic, a smallholder, a literary guru and a committed traveller, Rosie discusses her passions and reinventions with host Catherine Fairweather in our seventh episode of The Third Act.
Theo Fennell is best known as a leading British jeweller and silverware designer who has specialised in original, handmade jewellery for over 40 years. He has also recently penned a self-deprecating yet heart-warming memoir “I Fear For This Boy” at the age of 70, which depicts his journey from financial despair to the glittering celebrity world of the rich and famous. With host Catherine Fairweather in our sixth episode of The Third Act podcast, he muses over sobriety, the consequences of his ill-judged outfit on the first day of art school and the perils of taking one's self too seriously.
English society and celebrity photographer Richard Young is self-taught and started experimenting with a gifted Nikon camera on the streets of London in the seventies. Now with a career spanning almost 5 decades, Young has photographed the likes of Kate Moss, Tracey Emin and Sir Elton John as well as publishing four books. With Catherine Fairweather, he discusses his first big break photographing a recently released Paul Getty III and reflects on the immense scope of his career.
John Kasmin, or 'Kas' as he's better known, is one of the most well-known art dealers and collectors. He is perhaps best known for representing David Hockney who was one of Kas's first artists when he set up his own gallery in 1963. Whereas most galleries at the time were domestic in scale, Kas was the first to open his gallery in a large white space to better focus on the work itself. With Catherine Fairweather, he talks about hitchhiking around the world in his teenage years, saving Hockney from poverty, giving up alcohol, his "good eye" for art and his trademark glasses.