Podcasts about gyles

The second half of 1966 - Marlene Dietrich, university interviews, and the final goodbyes. This is a roller-coaster episode of Gyles's diaries, which is full of incident. Encouraged by his mother, Gyles goes on a charitable summer camp to Kent and doesn't enjoy it; there is a scandal at school while he is preparing for his Oxford entrance exam; he and Simon Cadell see Marlene Dietrich live in Golders Green and, in a moving finale, he leaves Bedales for good and gets goodbye letters from some old friends. Plus Gyles and Harriet chat. NB in this episode there is some discussion of some sensitive issues around teacher/pupil relationships. As Gyles reflects, these diaries present what happened to Gyles back in the 1960s - times have changed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you love British comedy, you'll know and admire our guest this week: Dame Penelope Keith. The characters she played - Margo Leadbetter and Audrey Fforbes-Hamilton - are two of the best-known and most distinctive characters in sit-com. And this is a rare chance to hear an interview with Dame Penelope. Gyles talks to her about her childhood, growing up without a father, the daughter of a hard-working and talented mother who worked in hotels and took the young Penelope along with her. Penelope talks about her school days - when she was taught by Frence nuns - and how she got into drama school and got her first job in weekly rep. This is fun and unusual conversation with a much-loved actress. Enjoy this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you're an avid Rosebud listener, you may remember a listener email we read out back in episode 5 of Gyles's diaries, from Harry Scoble. Harry wrote in to say that he'd left a coat in a taxi with Gyles back in 2002 and that he'd wished he had come to collect it from Gyles's house all those years ago, but had never got round to it. Gyles had then told Harriet that he thought he might still have the coat, on a clothes rail in his Jumper Room. In this episode, Harry comes to Gyles's house, and we solve the mystery once and for all. And have tea and an interesting chat in the process. This episode features Harry, Gyles, Michele Brandreth (Gyles's wife) and Harriet. And it features an extended chat between Harriet and Gyles before and after the recording of Harry looking at the coat and having tea. This is a slightly unusual episode, and a little bit more chaotic than our usual - but we hope you enjoy it! We'd love to hear about your Rosebud objects - do you have a treasured possession which sums up your life and is more precious than anything else? Email us at hello@rosebudpodcast.com and tell us - and we may feature you on the podcast. Gyles also mentions the Rosebud Live interview with Jeffrey Holland at the Sarah Thorne Theatre in Broadstairs on July 19th 2025. Please come along! Tickets will be available soon from the Sarah Thorne Theatre Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The great actor Sir David Suchet is Gyles's guest today: and this conversation gets behind Hercule Poirot - Sir David's most famous role - and delves into David's childhood, his schooldays and his early acting career at the National Youth Theatre and the RSC. Gyles finds out about David's difficult relationship with his father, the great doctor, Jack Suchet. He finds out about his close relationship with his mother and his grandparents, and the influence they had on him. He finds out about David's schooldays, his prowess on the rugby pitch, and how a teacher at school spotted his acting talent. Gyles also hears about how David's work ethic and attention to detail has sometimes led to tricky moments in rehearsals. The episode ends with a surprise which you won't want to miss! This is a fascinating, candid and sometimes very touching interview - thank you very much to Sir David for your time and for your honesty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This edition of Gyles's diary takes us up to the end of Gyles's final year at Bedales in the summer of 1966; so this really is the end of an era. And Gyles finds it very moving to look back at these closing moments of his schooldays. He says farewell to the 101 year-old founder of the school, Mr Badley, and makes plans for his university years and the future with his headmaster, Mr Slack. There is the usual whirlwind of activity - somehow, while revising for his A-levels, Gyles manages to fit in two school plays, some research on the French prison system, and a trip to Paris. Plus Gyles and Harriet discuss relics, cloning and piano playing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our guest today is Rachael Stirling: the brilliant theatrical actress and one of the stars of BBC comedy Detectorists, who is currently on stage in London in Giant, about the writer Roald Dahl. Gyles and Rachael begin by talking about a memorable conversation Gyles had with Rachael's mother, the great actress Dame Diana Rigg, when he interviewed her 25 years ago. And this interview with Rachael is no less memorable: it's a fascinating discussion of her childhood, her complex relationship with her mother, and her parents' divorce. It's a frank discussion of her first sexual experiences and her boarding school days (NB this episode is more graphic than our usual, with sexual refs and some swearing). And, finally, it's a moving discussion of Rachael's experiences as her mother's carer in the final months of her life. This is a special and very touching episode, thank you so much to Rachael. Rachael Stirling is currently playing Felicity Crosland in Giant, about the writer Roald Dahl, at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London. It's on for the rest of the summer and tickets are available here. Enjoy this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lynda La Plante - the writer, producer and creator of landmark dramas Widows and Prime Suspect - is Gyles's guest today. Lynda is the powerhouse behind some of the UK's most watched television, and she's also the powerhouse behind this episode of Rosebud - which is full of brilliant stories to make you gasp, laugh and cry. From her childhood growing up on the outskirts of Merseyside in a family tainted by tragedy, to her days at Rada and her first career as an actress, to her experiences trying to conceive and finally adopting her son - Gyles hears the full story of Lynda's remarkable life. Lynda's memoirs, Getting Away With Murder, are out in paperback, and the audiobook is also out now - with star turns from Dawn French and Helen Mirren. Her new novel, Crucified, is also just out. Thank you to Lynda for this wonderful interview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 with Simon Armitage, who has been Poet Laureate since 2019. Gyles finds out about Simon's childhood and early days, when he played out on the moors with his friends, watched TV and read comics... long before he became turned on to poetry by reading Ted Hughes. Gyles hears about Simon's parents, his love of indy music, and his first career as a probation officer. Gyles and Simon talk about poetry, about Ted Hughes and Seamus Heaney. We hope you enjoy this episode, and that it inspires you to read some poetry today - Simon's most recent book, Blossomise, it out now - it's a celebration of blossom and is well worth reading this springtime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 beats the President of Switzerland at cards and attends an underwhelming 'son et lumiere'. Back in England, Gyles returns to another busy term at Bedales, in which he carries on his relationship with Sally and tries to reconcile that with his endless school projects: this term he's arranging activities for the children in the younger years, to involve them more in the life of the school. Plus, Gyles's sisters have an argument and we find out more about his friendship with Simon Cadell. Enjoy this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, an Oscar and a Tony Award, and his songs for shows like Joseph, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Chess and the Lion King are known and loved all around the world. And yet Sir Tim remains modest and charming, as you'll hear in this conversation - perhaps thanks to the good manners he inherited from his father. Tim tells Gyles about his childhood, his schooldays at Lancing College and how, despite his lack of ambition, he moved to London and got a job with EMI. Much of this conversation, not surprisingly, is about music: the records Tim listened to as a teenager, the band he played with at school, and the first songs he wrote and which helped him to get noticed. We find out how he met Andrew Lloyd Webber and started to make musical history. Thank you Sir Tim Rice for your warmth, wit and wonderful stories. Tim Rice is on a nationwide tour telling his brilliant stories and featuring some of his best-known songs until the end of May, tickets available here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. In this episode, Wayne tells Gyles his remarkable story - raised by his single mother in Plymouth and Hartlepool, Wayne overcame poverty and his short stature to become one of the most well known and successful British ballet dancers of all time. It's a fairytale that includes David Hockney, Rudolph Nureyev and Princess Diana, and much more besides. Thank you to Wayne for your time, wit and energy. Enjoy this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 mogul, Logan Roy, but in this interview we go back to the beginning of Cox's long career, which has its roots deeply in theatre. We also go back to his childhood in Dundee, which was unusual and somewhat solitary. Brian talks to Gyles about his early years, the death of his father when he was very young, and his mother's subsequent struggles with mental illness and depression. He talks about his early ambitions to act, his lucky break getting a job at Dundee Rep when he was only 15 and the things that happened there. He tells Gyles about moving to London for drama school, getting married, and his early successes. He tells stories about some of the great actors he's worked with: Olivier, Richardson and Gielgud. This is a fascinating conversation with an unconventional, and remarkable, person. Thank you to Brian for this brilliant interview. Brian is currently starring in The Score at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, in London. It's open until April 26th 2025. Gyles has been and loved it - this is highly recommended. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 summer holidays, 1965, Gyles turns 17, is given a three-foot long bar of chocolate, and continues with his impressively busy school life. He's got himself an office and a few new jobs: running the school bookshop and organising the cycling proficiency lessons for the younger students. He's also organising Mr Badley's 100th birthday celebrations, and putting on another successful school production. He also goes to London to be a Debs' Delight. This is a fun one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Cheltenham Gold Cup, Sam Waley-Cohen. Sam is an amateur jockey, but is one of the most successful Grand National riders of all time, and finally won the race in his last ever race with the 50 to one shot horse Noble Yeats in 2022. Sam talks to Gyles about what it takes to make a great partnership with a horse, how to find the best starting position, the challenges of the Grand National, and also about his life, which has been full of daring and adventure. There's also been great sadness, as Sam tells Gyles about the death of his younger brother Thomas. Sam also gives his tip for the race today. Our thanks to him for this great conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 with each other for years on shows like Radio 4's Just a Minute, which Sue now hosts, so this conversation about Sue's first memories, family history, childhood and student days is intimate, honest, and at times very moving. Sue tells Gyles about her childhood, growing up in a close but slightly sheltered family in south London. She tells Gyles about being left-handed, about playing the flute and about her first boyfriend. She talks about how she defied her teachers' predictions by getting a place at Cambridge, and about the life-changing friends she made there. She talks about coming out and about finding herself. Thank you very much to Sue for your warmth, your wit and for your wonderful stories. Cue the music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's More Rosebud is an unexpected treat from the great comedian Harry Hill. You'll know Harry from his brilliant TV shows like TV Burp and Alien Fun Capsule or his podcast Are We There Yet? but you won't know about his incredible life. In this episode Harry tells Gyles his story - and what a story. Growing up in his dad's circus in North Kent, Harry tells a tale of dodgy doctors, depressed elephants, nefarious clowns and men with gills. We've all been there. Enjoy this special episode of More Rosebud with Harry Hill. Harry Hill is on a nationwide tour now, tickets available here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 unusual life. Grayson was born and brought up in Chelmsford, but his father left the family when Grayson was only four years old, and his mother married the local milkman - a Tom Jones lookalike with an unpredictable temper. Grayson talks to Gyles about the effect this lonely and unsettled childhood had on him: this is a moving episode. Gyles also asks Grayson about his transvestism and about his art. We hope you enjoy this very interesting edition of Rosebud. Grayson Perry is on tour nationwide this autumn, and tickets are available at https://www.fane.co.uk/grayson-perry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Including memories from Radio 4 legend John Humphrys, children's writer Dame Jacqueline Wilson, choreographer Arlene Philips, actress Nanette Newman and 102 year-old skydiver Manette Baillie. Plus some chat from Gyles and Harriet and one of your emails, about synaesthesia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gyles really enjoyed meeting this week's guest, Ed Balls, because he enjoyed bonding over their shared experience of Westminster. And the political gossip and insight in this chat is fascinating - from a very funny behind-the-scenes account of the famous dinner at Granita in Islington at which Tony Blair and Gordon Brown thrashed out their leadership in 1997; to a description of what it's like to lose a seat as an MP (like being at your own funeral, apparently). But there's much more than politics, here. This is also the fascinating story of Ed himself, his humble Norfolk beginnings, his academic success, his early journalistic career, his marriage to fellow Labour Party high-flier, Yvette Cooper, and why it's best to lean in to a mid-life crisis. We hope you enjoy this week's brilliant edition, and thank you very much to Ed for your time, warmth and fabulous company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 trip with his Canadian cousin Johnnie. Gyles is not impressed. In the autumn it's time for the General Election and, at Bedales, the school mock election, in which Gyles is running as the Conservative candidate. He's also appearing as Isaac Newton in the school play, taking over the school magazine, and getting his O-level results. As usual, there's never a dull moment. This episode also features an extended chat from Gyles and Harriet at the start, and a couple of your emails. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this special final episode of the Commonwealth Poetry Podcast, Gyles and Aphra Brandreth are joined by Baroness Patricia Scotland, the outgoing Commonwealth Secretary-General. As they reflect on nearly 70 episodes celebrating the poetry, culture, and voices of the Commonwealth, Baroness Scotland shares her insights on the power of the Commonwealth and the enduring strength of poetry. Featuring Maya Angelou's Still I Rise and Psalm 23, this episode marks the end of an extraordinary journey—at least for now. Thank you for being part of the adventure!

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 today. Dame Kristin tells Gyles about her childhood, which was at times idyllic but was coloured by the tragic deaths of both her father and step-father. She talks about her impressive and highly talented mother, who brought up five children in the midst of loss. She talks about her move to Paris as a teenager, how she met and married her first husband, and how important her new French family became to her. She talks about her career, working with Prince, how she was cast in The English Patient and her work on stage in The Audience and Elektra. Kristin's life is fascinating, and this is a fascinating, and moving, episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Professor Kahr is a practising psychotherapist and an expert on Sigmund Freud, the father of psychotherapy and the inventor of the "talking cure". In this fascinating conversation, Gyles and Prof. Kahr take a detailed look at the power of childhood memories, particularly traumatic ones, to effect our adult lives, and the benefits to be had from examining them and learning from them. Brett also tells Gyles about Freud himself, how he developed his ideas and how he escaped the Nazis and came to London. Gyles talks to Brett about some of the memories we've heard from our guests on Rosebud, and Brett talks about some of the common themes which come up in psychoanalysis - such as dreams and sex. This is a wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation, we hope you enjoy it. Professor Kahr's book: Coffee with Freud, is available from major bookshops online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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; about his charismatic father, his clever mum, and his chain-smoking grandmother who lived next-door and delighted him with tales of her acting days. Gyles hears about Josh's youthful obsessions: pop culture, TV, Plymouth Argyle and marbles, and about how they inspired Josh's later career as a comedian and writer. He hears about Josh's university days and how he started to do stand-up. Finally, Josh opens up about his struggles with anxiety and panic attacks, and talks about the things that helped him to feel better. Josh is on tour from September 2025, and tickets are available now at www.joshwiddicombe.com. Thank you to Josh for such a warm, open and funny conversation. Enjoy this! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 - with drama, journalism and politics. As his form teacher says in his report: "Gyles appears to be a person of boundless energy and enthusiasm..." But all is not entirely plain-sailing in this episode, as Gyles gets involved in a scandal at school and learns a painful lesson, with the help of his extremely understanding teachers. If you're enjoying the diaries but haven't heard them all, you can go back to the start - they're all marked chronologically and begin with episode 1. We'll be back with more diaries in two weeks' time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Gyles and Aphra are heading to Nauru, the smallest country in the Commonwealth, to explore its culture, history, and poetry. They're joined by the multi-talented Gem Dowiyogo, an artist, singer, and passionate advocate for Nauruan youth and heritage. Gem shares her journey of reconnecting with her roots and keeping Nauru's stories alive through art and song. This episode features Soon Enough by Maura Eidabugi Thoma, a powerful poem about the impact of phosphate mining on the country, as well as a small glimpse of a beautiful Nauruan love song - Eko Iyon by singer-songwriter Ditrone Tom.

Rosebud is thrilled to present to you one of the truly great Hollywood actresses of her generation: Sigourney Weaver. Known for her groundbreaking performances as Ripley in Ridley Scott's Alien movies, Sigourney redefined what women could do in the movies. Sigourney talks to Gyles about her fascinating parents - her father, Pat Weaver, was a leading US television executive who pioneered morning television, and her mother, the English actress Elizabeth Inglis. She tells Gyles how she came by her name, and about her first kiss, and how she struggled to get used to her height. She talks about beginning acting at Stanford and later Yale, and how her confidence was knocked by her Yale tutors. She talks about working with Woody Allen and on the set of Alien. Halfway through the show, Sigourney and Gyles are joined by a special guest - an Oscar-winning British actress who Sigourney has loved since she was a child. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tariq Ali was one of the most famous and recognisable figures of the revolutionary student movements of the 1960s. In his distinctive red Aquascutum mac he led marches, gave speeches and galvanised opposition to the Vietnam War and other big issues of the time. Born in Lahore just before Partition, he grew up in a prominent family of politicians and became interested in radical politics from a young age. At only 16 he organised his first strike, among the latrine-wallahs in the hill station where his family holidayed. At 18 he was sent to Oxford University, where he became president of the Union and impressed people with his brilliance at public speaking and debating. He tells Gyles about all this and about some of the amazing people he met along the way - including Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Marlon Brando and Malcolm X. If you aren't familiar with Tariq Ali's story, this is really worth listening to for a fascinating insight into the radical and optimistic days of the late 60s and early 70s, when anything seemed possible. Tariq's memoir, You Can't Please All, is out now, published by Verso. https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/blogs/authors/ali-tariq?srsltid=AfmBOorNoyy2ZaKtYHa5Zay30ii1E1ieQJ76ERKTHvDgvfIEB9t-zreO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sir James Dyson talks to Gyles about his remarkable journey: from academic under-achiever to one of the world's most successful inventors and businessmen. Sir James takes us back to the start, when he was a schoolboy at Gresham's School in Norfolk, the son of a schoolteacher, until he was blindsided by the tragic death of his father when he was only nine. Was it this early bereavement that set him apart, and encouraged his desire to be independent, to be different? Or was it his love of the solitude of long-distance running, or his unusual talent for art and design? In this fascinating conversation, recorded at Dyson HQ in Wiltshire, Gyles goes behind the legendary inventions to the man and his beginnings. Thank you very much to Sir James for taking the time to record this with us, to to all the team at Dyson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 year-old Gyles, sensibly turns his attention away from romance and onto other things. The most pressing one being his upcoming performance in the school production of Twelfth Night. Can he follow the advice of his drama teacher and learn to act "from the inside out?" And stop putting on silly voices and being a ham? Meanwhile, there's major news on the international stage as President John F Kennedy is shot while riding in a motorcade through the centre of Dallas, Texas. Gyles, in his inimitable style, keeps us up to date with all this and more in another episode of his not-to-be-missed teenage diaries. Cue the music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 our very own Rosebud Romeo. Someone debonair, someone handsome, someone with a talent for being in love... and who better than possibly the most charming actor of them all: Nigel Havers? Nigel talks to Gyles about his enchanted life. The son of an eminent lawyer, Nigel was sent to boarding school at 6, where he discovered his talent for acting. He went to the Arts Educational School as a teenager, and this is where the fun begins... this is a tale of girlfriends, the Rolling Stones, and meeting Margaret Thatcher. Enjoy this fun, frothy and fascinating episode, and happy Valentine's Day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Johnson, the great actress and star of Brief Encounter, and Peter Fleming, writer and older brother of Ian Fleming. The letters you hear in this episode were written from 1940 until VE Day, while Peter was away in the Burma and India, working for Lord Wavell, and Celia was at home looking after their young son and becoming known as a film actress. In 1945 she plays the lead in Brief Encounter, one of the greatest British films ever made. These letters are so tender and evocative, and transport you to another time - one of bravery, decency and self-deprecation. Lucy and Simon are themselves married, and have been together for 40 years, and are both successful actors - Archers fans will, in particular, be very familiar with their voices! They talk to Gyles about their first memories, how they met, and tell Gyles the secret to a long and happy marriage. Lucy and Simon read these letters live on stage in their brilliant show, Posting Letters to the Moon, which is touring the UK now - tickets are available at https://www.postingletterstothemoon.com/tickets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark Gatiss: actor, writer, producer, director and creator - this is someone who makes Gyles Brandreth look like an under-achiever! From The League of Gentlemen, to Doctor Who, Sherlock and the Christmas Ghost Stories, Mark has been behind some of the most distinctive and original television of recent times. He's also an actor - recently winning awards for his portrayal of Sir John Gielgud in Jack Thorne's The Motive and The Cue. And it goes without saying that he's a fascinating person, with a fascinating story to tell. In this episode, which was recorded live at The Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond, Mark talks to Gyles about his working class childhood, growing up opposite the local psychiatric hospital. He talks about his hatred of PE lessons, his early obsession with TV and how he became interested in horror. He talks about coming out to his parents and how he met the rest of the League of Gentlemen at drama school. With thanks to the team at The Orange Tree Theatre and to Mark Gatiss for this brilliant interview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 school, Gyles is learning that relationships are complicated things, and that it's not usually OK to love two people at the same time. Outside school, the sexual revolution is beginning and Britain is gripped by the Profumo affair. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 in Lanzarote, to an illicit encounter with a stranger who was bowled over by the magnificence of her bosom... this show is full of laughs and brilliant anecdotes. Vanessa takes Gyles two generations back in the Feltz family, to her grandparents and great grandparents in the tenements of the East End, and brings these extraordinary characters to life. She tells Gyles about her own childhood in the 'Beverley Hills of North London', and about her school days, when she was known as 'Vanessa the Undresser', and could do alluring things with a red woollen scarf. She talks to Gyles about her career and why it's important to teach your grandchildren how to make a human chain. Vanessa's autobiography, 'Vanessa Bares All' is out now. It's hugely entertaining, and well worth reading. Thanks so much to Vanessa for this brilliant interview, and for making Gyles laugh so much. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Rosebud: manifesting. Plus he also tells Gyles about his early life, how he became a hypnotist, and he shows Gyles some relaxation techniques. So beware, this episode may make you exceedingly relaxed! Make sure you aren't driving or operating machinery while listening. Paul's book, Power Manifesting, is out now. Cue the music! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, Gyles is a bit jealous when he finds out that Krishnan was even younger than him when he first appeared on TV! In this interview, Gyles also learns about the fascinating story of Krishnan's parents, how they met, and his father's inspirational journey from extreme poverty to NHS consultant. Krishnan talks about growing up in Lancashire in the 80s, his success at school and the racism in the playground, and then tells Gyles how he started to work as a journalist when he was only 18. He talks about his life now and his Strictly experience. This is a wide-ranging and stimulating conversation with someone who has been at the heart of British current affairs for a generation - thank you Krishnan for coming on Rosebud! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 boarding school populated by many CND-supporting teachers and the children of liberal-minded, artistic parents. In this episode we hear about Gyles's summer holidays, spent on his own in Paris, learning French and staying in a boarding house. We hear about his success in the school production. We hear about his teachers - many of whom are "very CND" and some of whom are, shock horror, vegetarian. We hear Gyles's review of the best bits of 1962 and about the records he's enjoyed listening to that year. If you've only just discovered these episodes, you can either start here, or go back to episode 1 of the diaries and start at the beginning (when Gyles was at prep school). Enjoy this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this fortnight's episode join Gyles and Aphra Brandreth as they head to Tonga to chat with young poet Anna Jane Lagi. Anna's poetry tackles everything from cultural identity to big issues like brain drain, domestic violence, and mental health. She shares her personal journey as a young Tongan woman and how she's shaping her own culture through her art. Poems this episode include: Send my love; Go and Come Back: and I was young once too, all by Anna Jane Lagi.

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 and well-loved actress. Penelope talks to Gyles about her happy childhood, in and around Knightsbridge and Kensington in London - we find out about her interesting neighbours, Mr Onion and the one-armed colonel. She tells Gyles about her mother's illness and her unhappy time at boarding school. She talks about her drama school days, and her breakthrough role in Harold Pinter's classic play Betrayal at the National Theatre. She talks about the roles on TV which made her a household name: Ever Decreasing Circles and, more recently, Afterlife. We're delighted to give Rosebud listeners the chance to spend time with this delightful, talented performer. Enjoy this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 tells Gyles about his extraordinary father, Spud Baker. He also talks about getting cancer, and about getting cancelled, and how he survived both by being a "natural born Pollyanna". This story is full of wit, charm, funny stories, and Danny's characteristic ebullience. Enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 close-knit community on the island of Antigua, the discipline and faith he was given by his parents, his early memories of practising his batting technique in his bedroom mirror and his dramatic first international match for Antigua. He tells Gyles how he made it to Somerset, about the racism he experienced and about his close friendship with Ian Botham. Sir Vivian is not only a legendary sportsman; you will meet in this interview a remarkable person: wise, humble and inspiring. Even if you don't know much about cricket, this interview is worth hearing. Sir Vivian describes life in Antigua and Barbuda in this interview, and you can find out more about those beautiful places by visiting this website: www.visitantiguabarbuda.com . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, dining like a king at Sunday breakfast (soft white rolls with honey and marmite) and being entered into poetry reading competitions. He also carries on with his hobbies - theatre-going, reading and politics. We hope you enjoy these snapshots of a different time - if you've only just discovered these, go back to episode 1 of the diaries to hear it from the start. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We start off the new year with a special episode featuring two extraordinary voices from Jamaica: artist, songwriter, and cultural force Phleer Carter AKA Ryan Carter, alongside the award-winning poet, Lorna Goodison. In this powerful conversation, Gyles and Aphra Brandreth dive deep into Jamaica's rich artistic landscape, blending the rhythms of music with the power of poetry.Phleer Carter takes us on a musical journey through Jamaica's vibrant scene, sharing his creative process and how his roots have shaped his art. From the pulse of reggae to the soulful echoes of island life, Phleer reveals the stories behind his songs and the deeper connection to his homeland.Meanwhile, Lorna Goodison, whose poetry has captivated audiences around the world, reflects on her own journey—from her childhood immersed in Jamaica's eclectic influences to winning the Commonwealth Poetry Prize in 1986. Lorna shares her reflections on love, justice, and the indomitable spirit of the Jamaican people, reading from her powerful collection of poetry, including The Road of the Dread, After the Green Gown of My Mother Gone Down, and Guinea Woman.This episode is a celebration of Jamaica's artistic soul, where music and poetry intertwine to tell the stories of love, loss, and the unbreakable spirit of a nation. Tune in for an inspiring exploration of Jamaica's culture through the eyes of two of its most influential voices.Don't miss this unforgettable conversation that resonates with the heart of the Caribbean.

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 life? In this episode, which was recorded at a live event at Grosvenor House, Gyles talks about his book, 'The Seven Secrets of Happiness'. He describes his work with the psychiatrist Dr Antony Clare to find the seven things we each need to try and do to live a happy and fulfilled life. He also talks about mindfulness, the Queen and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. And we finally meet the Rosebud composer, Phil Lepherd. Don't miss this! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Christmas poem. Next is an interview with Igor Gudjalov, the amazing Grosvenor House pianist, and the premier of his 'Rosebud Christmas Rhapsody' on the piano. Then we have a moving conversation with the Very Reverend Dr Mark Oakley, Dean of Southwark Cathedral, about his first memories, and he also gives us a Christmas reading. Finally it's Voxcetera, the chamber choir which includes Harriet the Rosebud producer, with their rendition of Winter Wonderland (arranged by Paul Ayres). We end with lots of Christmas thank yous, and, most importantly, we'd like to thank you, for listening. Happy Christmas to the whole Rosebud family! Thank you to Paul Ayres for allowing us to feature his arrangement of Winter Wonderland www.paulayres.co.uk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Berry. In this wide-ranging and frequently very touching conversation, Gyles and Dame Mary talk about her life and times - from her childhood as a naughty schoolgirl nicknamed 'Scruffy' to her success as a cook, writer and educator. Gyles finds out about the inspirational teacher who encouraged Mary to start cooking, he hears about Mary's days starting out in her career, living in London with a flat full of girlfriends, and he tells Mary about his love for Bargain Hunt. Gyles also hears about some of the sad moments in Mary's life, and about being made a dame. This is a delicious, tender and deep conversation - just like one of Dame Mary's cakes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 as a brand new book 'The Place of Tides'. James has lived and worked on the Cumbrian Lakeland fells since he was a boy, and farms the same hillside at Matterdale as his family have for the past 600 years. In this conversation he tells Gyles about his boyhood, being inspired to read The Odyssey and Hemingway by his mum and headteacher, about dropping out of school and his rebellious teenagehood, and about how he went back to night school and ended up going to university as a mature student. He also tells Gyles about his love for his sheepdogs and his thoughts on the government's plan to introduce inheritance tax on family farms. Enjoy this episode with one of the most interesting writers working today, who is also a dedicated and passionate farmer. James's latest book, The Place of Tides, is out now published by Allen Lane at £22. Highly recommended, as are all of James's books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, Bram Stoker, Byron, Jesus and Cecil Beaton all get a mention. Yes, there's name-dropping of a historical kind. One of the interesting things about Rosebud is the distinctive ways in which our guests' childhoods reflect the adults they become, and Tom was thinking about history as soon as he started to read - and this episode exudes that. Tom isn't just one of the hosts of the world's biggest history podcast, he's also the writer of multiple best-selling history books, largely about the ancient world, which he's brought to life for a wide audience. His latest book, Pax, is out now. We hope you enjoy this interview with one of the best, brightest and most brilliant communicators around. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 starts at his secondary school, Bedales, a pioneering liberal arts boarding school near Petersfield in Hampshire. How will Gyles cope with the ardous programme of 'outdoor work' which is part of his new timetable? Will he get a girlfriend? What will his new teachers make of him? Gyles and Harriet discuss all this and more... and they uncover the identity of a myterious coat which has been at Gyles's house for over twenty years. Enjoy this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices