Podcasts about gyles

Akshata Murthy, entrepreneur, philanthropist and wife of the former Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, is our guest today. And it's particularly interesting to listen to this episode in light of the resignation of Keir Starmer yesterday (Monday 22 June 2026): what is it really like to be married to a prime minister? What are Akshata's memories of the day, in the pouring rain, that Rishi Sunak announced the fateful 2024 election? Did she feel she sacrificed her own life and career to make way for Rishi's ambitions? Plus, this episode opens with some topical chat from Gyles and Harriet - move over, Rest is Politics!But this episode is really about Akshata's own life and times - her unusual childhood, in which she was raised until the age of five by her maternal grandparents in a small, dusty town, eating mangoes straight from the tree, while her parents worked hard to build their company. She talks of the pain and confusion of missing her parents, and of the conflicting emotions that brings up. Akshata talks about her parents' vision and commitment to giving back to India - to "compassionate capitalism" and philanthropy. She talks about moving to Bangalore, her school life and her first crush. She talks about college in California and meeting Rishi.This is an interesting, unexpected conversation. With many thanks to Akshata Murthy. Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

North Americans annually dedicate the third Sunday of June to Fathers! Let’s learn about the origins, customs, and traditions of this special day. Check out the YouTube version of this episode at https://youtu.be/5x5DFS-ULZU which has accompanying visuals including maps, charts, timelines, photos, illustrations, and diagrams. This Day in History Class podcast available at https://amzn.to/4eyP3AF Commonwealth Poetry Podcast at https://amzn.to/3SE2hVz Books about Father’s Day at https://amzn.to/4ax7Dbx ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark Vinet's HISTORICAL JESUS podcast at https://parthenonpodcast.com/historical-jesus Mark's TIMELINE video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 X (twitter): https://twitter.com/MarkVinet_HNA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM Audio credits: This Day in History Class-The first Father's Day, June 20, 2023 (iHeart Podcasts & How Stuff Works); Commonwealth Poetry Podcast with Gyles & Aphra Brandreth-Celebrating Fathers & Poetry, June 11, 2023 (Only a Dad poem by Edgar Albert Guest). Audio excerpts reproduced under the Fair Use (Fair Dealings) Legal Doctrine for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, education, scholarship, research and news reporting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

North Americans Christians annually dedicate the third Sunday of June to Fathers! Let’s learn about the origins, customs, and traditions of this special day when Christians honor thy Father. Check out the YouTube version of this episode at https://youtu.be/5x5DFS-ULZU which has accompanying visuals including maps, charts, timelines, photos, illustrations, and diagrams. This Day in History Class podcast available at https://amzn.to/4eyP3AF Commonwealth Poetry Podcast at https://amzn.to/3SE2hVz Books about Father’s Day at https://amzn.to/4ax7Dbx ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark Vinet's TIMELINE video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Mark's History of North America podcast: www.parthenonpodcast.com/history-of-north-america Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 X (twitter): https://X.com/HistoricalJesu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM Audio credits: This Day in History Class-The first Father's Day, June 20, 2023 (iHeart Podcasts & How Stuff Works); Commonwealth Poetry Podcast with Gyles & Aphra Brandreth-Celebrating Fathers & Poetry, June 11, 2023 (Only a Dad poem by Edgar Albert Guest). Audio excerpts reproduced under the Fair Use (Fair Dealings) Legal Doctrine for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, education, scholarship, research and news reporting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest today is the hugely successful author of twisty, suspenseful, page-turning, gripping novels - such as Tell No One, Fool Me Once and Deal Breaker - Harlan Coben. Here, Harlan talks to Gyles about his childhood, spent in a very ordinary all-American town in New Jersey, which had secrets and rumours lurking beneath its cookie-cutter exterior. He talks about his family - his inspirational father who died too young, and his mother, who lied about her age and was a feminist and a wild-child. He talks about his grandfather's shady mafia dealings. He talks about falling in love, being at college with Dan Brown, and the poetry of Bruce Springsteen. Harlan also talks in depth and detail about his approach to writing. If you've loved any of Harlan's brilliant books or watched any of the thrilling Netflix adaptations of his work - you will find this fascinating. If you're not yet familiar with Harlan's work - you'll want to be after listening to this. What a charming, perceptive and wise person... Thank you Harlan for your time, energy and stories. Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's 1976, and we have more hilarity, honesty, and social commentary from Gyles's diaries. In this episode he shares a stage with Bernard Manning and some go-go dancers, publishes a cheeky book about the Queen, and fires the nanny. Plus Gyles and Harriet chat about love at first sight and John Keats. Enjoy this! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're in New York City, so we need glamour, class, poise, elegance, talent and wit; and we're pleased to say we've got them all... because our guest today is Christine Baranski. Star of The Gilded Age, The Good Wife, Sybil, Mama Mia and guest star in Big Bang Theory, Christine Baranski is a gifted actress with an impressive body of work across stage, television and film. In this brilliant and in-depth conversation with Gyles, she talks about her childhood in a close Polish family in Buffalo, New York, where she shared a bedroom with her theatrical and flamboyant grandmother, a formative influence. She talks about the death of her father when she was only nine years old, and the ways in which life changed following that devastating event. She talks about being a sexy Catholic schoolgirl. She talks about getting a place at the prestigious Juillard in New York, and about her early work in theatre. This is a fascinating, honest, moving and elegant conversation with a great star of the old school. We felt privileged to spend time with Christine Baranski, and we hope you will feel the same! Christine is in Hay Fever with Richard E Grant in London from September 2026. Tickets are available here. Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Graydon Carter, the celebrated magazine editor, is the second guest in our New York series. Carter edited Vanity Fair for 25 years and transformed the magazine into the must-read glossy for the intelligent, the curious and the culturally-savvy. He talks to Gyles about his vision for Vanity Fair and why it was such a success, about the four elements you need to put together a good story, and about the famous Oscars Party. He talks about Spy magazine, the celebrated satirical New York weekly he co-founded and ran prior to his job at Vanity Fair. He talks about his long-standing beef with Donald Trump, his love of clothes, and his childhood in Ottawa. And, along the way, he teases Gyles for his "novelty knits" - which you'll enjoy listening to! This is a witty, perceptive, sharp and fascinating interview with a man who has been at the heart of American cultural life for half a century. Graydon's book When the Going Was Good is available here and is highly recommended. Our thanks to Graydon for his time, energy and fabulous stories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leading up to the 250th anniversary of American independence, Rosebud is giving you a series of interviews recorded in New York City. Our first is with the sharpest observer of New York life - the wit, conversationalist and writer, Fran Lebowitz. In this brilliant interview, Fran tells Gyles about her family, who moved to the US from Russia and Eastern Europe to escape the Jewish pogroms. She talks about her happy childhood, cycling on her "freedom machine" around her pretty hometown in New Jersey, where her father owned an upholstery business and her mother had aspirations to be Fred Astaire's dance partner. She tells Gyles about being punished for being a chatterbox at school, about knowing she was gay from a young age, and about moving to New York to become a writer. She talks about Andy Warhol and being paid to write porn. She talks about smoking, the internet, and her enormous collection of books. Finally, Gyles awards Fran a medal from the Oscar Wilde Society, in recognition of her brilliance as a talker. As you might expect, this is a fabulous conversation. It's well worth your time. Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're entering the long, hot summer of 1976, and Gyles is moving into a big, new house with his young family and still forging ahead in his life and career. He is embarking on a second Oxford Theatre Festival, with his friend Noel Davis (who likes the start and end the working day with a stiff drink, and have a couple more over lunch); he is celebrating Michele's birthday in style at the Ritz, and he is attempting to break the record for the longest after-dinner speech. It's another action-packed year, diary fans! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The writer, satirist and urban explorer Will Self talks to Gyles about his childhood, his career and his life now. From his boyhood as "little Willy", the apple of his mother's eye, who was both enfolded and smothered by her love; to his adolescence when he began smoking, drinking and experimenting with drugs earlier than most; to his student days when his good looks meant he found it easy to get women into bed... this is an absorbing, entertaining and sometimes surprising episode, full of laughs, and full of astute observations (as you might expect from one of our foremost satirists). Will also talks about taking heroin on John Major's plane, being on Shooting Stars and his illness and recent stem cell transplant. Our thanks to Will for his dazzling conversation, and for being such charming company. And thank you, too, to his wife Nellie for coming along! Will's new book The Quantity Theory of Morality is out now and is HIGHLY recommended. You can buy a copy here. Enjoy this... we're sure you will. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're lucky to have the talented actress Anne-Marie Duff (St.Joan, The Magdalene Sisters, Shameless, Bad Sisters, The Virgin Queen) as our guest today, taking Gyles back to her happy childhood in a tight-knit community in West London, where she lay in bed hearing the sounds of piano from the local pub wafting in through the windows, and heard her father singing love songs to her mother. She talks about being a shy and bookish child, sometimes feeling as if she was "on the wrong planet" and finding confidence at a drama group. She talks about her early fascination with theatre, training at the Drama Centre London, her experience playing St Joan at the National Theatre and stage fright. She talks about love, grief, and caring for her brother, Eddie, who had early onset Alzheimer's and sadly died earlier this year.This is a fascinating, heartfelt and moving interview, full of wisdom and insight. Enjoy this - we know you will. Our thanks to Anne-Marie Duff for her time, energy and for telling her story so beautifully.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's 1975 and new father Gyles Brandreth is multi-tasking, like any young parent. One day he's feeding the ducks in Regent's Park with his new baby, the next, spearheading the campaign for Britain to remain in the European Common Market. He's also planning his next Oxford Theatre Festival, learning to play bridge, and being interviewed by the Mail. Plus Gyles and Harriet chat about their favourite day of the week, and snoring. Enjoy this! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At Rosebud we know how lucky we are to meet and talk to so many talented and fascinating guests. And this week we are especially lucky, as our guest is one of our greatest living actors: Ralph Fiennes. In this conversation recorded at the Haymarket Theatre (where Ralph is currently appearing with Miranda Raison in the David Hare play Grace Pervades), Ralph talks to Gyles about his childhood. He talks about his parents - the writer and artist Jennifer Lash, and the farmer-turned-photographer Mark Fiennes - their strengths, their challenges, and their love. He talks about the unusual and artistic home they made for their six children, and the legacy of hard work and creativity that has given him and his siblings. He talks about his mother's illness and death. Ralph also talks about becoming an actor and about the great Victorian actor Henry Irving - who he's playing in Grace Pervades.This episode was recorded on Shakespeare's birthday at the Haymarket Theatre. Our thanks to the team there.Ralph Fiennes is appearing in Grace Pervades until 11th July. It tells the story of Sir Henry Irving and his relationship with the great actress Ellen Terry - and is highly recommended. Tickets are available here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our More Rosebud guest today is the Children's Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel De Souza. Dame Rachel advocates for children in parliament, and on May 8 published a major survey of 1 million children in the UK - entitled "The Big Future". The children she's surveyed are especially those who are hardest to reach, living away from home, with disabilities, or in care – and the survey provides an urgent and definitive state of the nation of childhood, at a time when children are facing numerous challenges. Regular listeners to Rosebud will know that we're particularly interested in childhood, and the huge impact the memories of our earliest years have on us. A childhood lasts a lifetime. And that's why Gyles is talking to Dame Rachel today - to ask her about the state of childhood in the country today, and to find out about her own story. Rachel tells Gyles about growing up in a working class family in Scunthorpe, about studying theology, and about becoming one of the most successful headteachers in the country. Thank you to Dame Rachel De Souza for this frank and fascinating conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest today is Sir Lenny Henry, the pioneering comedian, entertainer, actor and campaigner, who tells Gyles his story, and it's an impressive one: from the streets of Dudley in the West Midlands, to winning New Faces at only 16 years old, to an acclaimed run as Othello at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. Lenny brings his childhood home to life - his mother, a gifted preacher who came to the UK from Jamaica, and whose formidable personality was a huge influence on Lenny. His dads - Winston and Uncle Albert. The "tall food". The park. The mood board on his bedroom wall. This is an evocative, fascinating and very funny edition of Rosebud.This episode was recorded at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith in London, in front of a live audience, as part of Riverside's 50th birthday celebrations.Lenny Henry is on tour nationwide, tickets are available here.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rosebud has been on its first international road trip, to New York City. In this episode, Gyles and Harriet chat about their trip... about how they gossiped for 15 hours straight on the flight over, about being guests of the Queen at the New York Public Library and seeing Pooh Bear, Kanga, Eeyore, Tigger, Piglet and the new Roo, and about Anna Wintour giving Gyles an unexpected compliment. In the second half of the show, Gyles talks to Josh Ellis, one of Broadway's most distinguished Press Agents, who worked on productions such as 42nd Street, Into the Woods, The King and I, The Elephant Man and The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. He tells Gyles insider tales about some of the stars he worked with during his long career, including Yul Brynner, Rex Harrison, Katharine Hepburn, Eartha Kitt, Cher, David Bowie and Ethel Merman. It's fascinating, and gives a real flavour of life at the heart New York's theatre land.Our thanks for Josh Ellis for this fun and fascinating conversation. Our thanks to New York City for being fabulous. And our thanks to you for listening. Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeremy Corbyn MP is our guest on this May Day morning. Now an independent MP and the leader of Your Party, Jeremy has been in Westminster for 43 years - for 41 of those as a Labour MP. He was leader of Labour Party from 2015 to 2020, and fought two general elections in 2017 and 2019. He talks about this to Gyles in this episode, and about the bitter divisions and recriminations that followed the final defeat. He also talks about his childhood, growing up in Wiltshire and Shropshire, with free-thinking parents who encouraged him to make things and gave him a lot of freedom. He talks about being an academic under-achiever, his formative experiences with VSO in Jamaica as a teenager, and travelling in revolutionary South America. He talks about being awkward, his love of reading, and his continuing commitment to making the world a better place. Whatever your politics, we hope you find this an inspiring, interesting and illuminating listen with one of the longest-standing and most committed of our politicians. With our thanks to Jeremy Corbyn for his time, energy and conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An action-packed edition of Gyles's diaries, from 1974 and 75. Gyles masquerades - very convincingly - as the European Monopoly Champion, and wows the crowds in New York City. He tosses the world's smallest pancake live on television. Margaret Thatcher is elected Leader of the Conservative Party, and on the domestic front, Gyles and Michele become parents for the first time. It's a momentous year, and it's why the Rosebud Family love tuning in on Tuesdays for Gyles's diaries! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the second of our guests this week with a royal connection: India Hicks. India is the granddaughter of Lord Mountbatten - the last Viceroy of India who oversaw the transition to independence, and his fascinating wife, Edwina Mountbatten, who was rumoured to have had a love affair with Nehru, India's first Prime Minister. India tells Gyles about this, and about her experiences of the day Mountbatten was assassinated in 1979. India is the daughter of Lady Pamela Hicks, a close friend of Queen Elizabeth II, who was actually with Princess Elizabeth in Kenya on the day she heard that her father had died and that she was to be Queen. India tells Gyles about this. India is also the goddaughter of King Charles, and they discuss his thoughtfulness, and her experiences of being a bridesmaid at his wedding to Princess Diana in 1981. All in all, this is a fascinating episode, full of stories of royalty, but also wisdom about life, duty and the importance of good manners.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today - Tuesday 21 April 2026 - would have been Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday, and we're marking the occasion with two regal Rosebuds. Our guest in this episode is Major General Alastair Bruce, the former Army Reserves officer and governor of Edinburgh Castle who is now a respected royal expert and commentator for Sky News. Alastair talks to Gyles about his family, and how they got to know the Queen and Prince Phillip in Malta. He talks about his unusual childhood passions of dressing up like an admiral and making models of the crown jewels. He talks about his experiences as an officer in the Falklands War, when he lost one of his men to sniper fire. And he talks about commentating on the Queen's funeral and a moving moment from that day.This is a fascinating discussion for anyone interested in British military or royal history. Our thanks to Alastair Bruce for being our guest on Rosebud.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Hayley Mills's 80th birthday weekend, Gyles speaks to the legendary actress and her sister, Juliet Mills, about their remarkable lives and careers. They talk about their parents, Sir John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell. They talk about their famous godparents, who included Vivien Leigh and Noel Coward. They talk about their first acting jobs - Juliet on stage, and Hayley in Tiger Bay. They talk about taking a Pekingese to a meeting with Walt Disney and about losing Oscars. There are moments of great insight and wisdom - it's worth listening for Juliet's philosophy of a happy marriage, and for Hayley's life lessons. This is a very special, star-studded, and very touching episode of Rosebud, and we're honoured to bring it to you.Happy birthday Hayley Mills!Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gyles continues to have success, failure and everything in between with the Oxford Theatre Festival... and even gets to open some plays in the West End. We hear from a listener in a far-flung location, and we chat about the upsides and downsides of going out without your underwear on. All human life is here! It's Gyles's diaries. Enjoy this.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Gyles is charmed and fascinated by Amol Rajan, the podcaster, broadcaster and host of Radical and Radio 4's Today programme. Amol tells Gyles about his family background - his parents moved to the UK from India when he was three years old. He talks about his father's insatiable love of English literature, his mother's brilliant cooking, and his own love of cricket. He talks about decline and opportunity, and why he has chosen to leave Radio 4. And finally, Amol and Gyles discuss bereavement, grief and Hamlet.Amol Rajan's podcast Radical is available to download here.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yes, diary fans, it's a big one, because this episode describes some of the most stressful months of Gyles's life. It's spring 1974, and he's desperately trying to put together a stellar line-up of plays and stars for his Oxford Theatre Festival, but all around him are obstacles. Trying to raise the money is challenging. Trying to find a play Celia Johnson will agree to is a struggle. And trying to get Rita Tushingham to make a firm commitment is almost impossible. Buckle up for an episode which will make you realise your day job is a walk in the park!Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is the utterly wonderful Monty Don, and this is one of our warmest, richest, most delightful and most touching episodes yet - full of insight, wisdom, stories, laughter and - of course some tears. This is Rosebud, after all.Monty tells Gyles about his childhood, which was partly idyllic, but partly overshadowed by the presence of his rather frightening father, a former Army heavyweight boxing champion suffering from PTSD. Monty talks about his unhappy time at boarding school, and his treatment for cancer when he was only ten. He tells Gyles about his university days, about meeting his wife, and about their jewellery business... and he talks about his experience of depression. Plus, of course, he talks about gardens - what gives them charm, and which is his favourite garden in the UK.Monty's beautiful new book, British Gardens, is available here.And finally, Happy Easter to all of you from us at Rosebud!Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest today is the model and podcast host Jean Campbell, who talks to Gyles about her wild Scottish childhood and about her experience of living with chronic pain as a result of hip dysplasia. Jean tells Gyles the dramatic story of how her hip condition was discovered - as a result of a serious skiing accident when she was a teenager. She talks about the long and arduous treatment she received, and her eventual decision to try and live with and manage the pain. And she talks about the brilliant podcast she hosts all about pain, which is called "I'm Fine", and is available to download here.This is a fascinating episode, and - particularly - if you have experienced long-term pain or ill-health, it's highly recommended listening. Our thanks to Jean Campbell for sharing her story on Rosebud. And our thanks to you for being our lovely, loyal listeners - our Rosebud Family!Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Our guest today is the comedian, author, actor and presenter Tom Allen. And this is a truly charming edition of Rosebud. Tom tells Gyles about his childhood in suburban Bromley and opens up about what it was like to be an eccentric child who refused to follow the crowd and liked dressing up as an emperor. Gyles and Tom bond over some mutual passions, including Noel Coward and stationery. And Tom talks about coming out and his first kiss.Tom is currently in Titanique in the West End of London. His new novel, Common Decency, is out in May and is available to pre-order here.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's time for another riveting edition of Gyles's diaries, which give a unique perspective on life in Britain in the second half of the twentieth century. We start with some chat from Gyles and Harriet about Lord Heseltine, and about the possibility - and the truth - of love at first sight. Next, it's time for the diaries; we've now reached 1974, and Gyles embarks enthusiastically on trying to book theatrical stars for his season at the Oxford Playhouse. But will Jeffrey Archer stump up the money Gyles needs to pay all this top-notch talent? Meanwhile, Gyles is hosting a late-night phone-in show on LBC. And there's a general election - can Gyles mobilise the youth vote in East Anglia to swing it for the Tories? There's never a dull moment in the life of GDB, and 1974 is no exception...Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Gyles meets the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting MP. Gyles hears about Wes's remarkable life story so far, which begins in a council flat in East London and ends at the highest level of government. Wes tells Gyles about his unusual family - his mum, whose parents had both been in prison; his dad, whose father - Bill Streeting - was a formative influence on Wes. He talks about his school days, how he was introduced to the church at primary school and always had 'main character energy'. He talks about going to Cambridge, coming out, and ambition. Wes also talks about his current role and his plans for the future.Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've got two political interviews for you on Rosebud this week, and this is the first. In the week of his 93rd birthday, Gyles is talking to Lord Heseltine - one of the so-called "big Beasts" of the British political scene at the end of the twentieth century. Heseltine was a prominent cabinet minister under Margaret Thatcher, Deputy Prime Minister under John Major, and is now a member of the House of Lords. In fact, he's been a significant figure in British politics for half a century. Michael speaks to Gyles about his childhood, growing up in the Swansea in a loving family. He talks about his love of nature - of gardening, birdwatching, and about how he founded the "Tit Club" at school. He talks about his early entrepreneurial drive - selling lemonade to fellow pupils, charging his dad to clear his garden, and how this later developed into early adult success in business. This business acumen led Heseltine to become a politician of rare efficiency - known for his skill at cost-cutting and fixing big issues. He talks about his relationship with Thatcher, his experience regenerating the Docklands of East London and Liverpool, and how he met and married his wife, Anne. This episode was recorded live at the Concert Artistes' Association in London. Our thanks to them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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We at Rosebud are thrilled about today's guest, and we know you will be too: it's Richard E Grant. Actor, writer, influencer and star of one of the most loved British films of all time, Withnail and I, Richard talks to Gyles about his extraordinary childhood. Born to good-looking parents in the ex-pat community in then-Swaziland, Richard's young life was full of Enid Blyton, barbecues and Pelham puppets - but things changed when his mother left the family and his father descended into alcoholism. What follows is a story full of shocks and surprises - including adultery, attempted murder and estrangement - and is well worth listening to. Richard also tells Gyles about his move to London, how he broke into acting, and how he met and married his wife, Joan Washington. And he talks about how he has coped since Joan's death in 2021.Many thanks to Richard for this fascinating conversation.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've reached the end of 1973 in Gyles's diaries. But we begin this episode in 2026, celebrating Gyles and Michèle's birthdays, and they unwrap their presents from Harriet. We hear about Gyles's birthday plans - he likes to be busy on his birthday - and he's spending the day dressed as Henry Fielding, wearing a wig and britches. We then hear some more from Gyles's diaries, in which young Gyles puts on a gala show at The Oxford Playhouse, is given a gift by Barbara Cartland, and meets Bob Monkhouse. Enjoy this, diary fans!Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's International Women's Day on Sunday 8 March, and our guest is the Labour Member of Parliament for Bradford West, Naz Shah. Naz tells Gyles her extraordinary story; about her father, who left the family when she was only six years old, leaving the children and their mother in poverty, insecurity and sometimes squalor. About her mother, who was abused by two men - first by her husband, and then by a neighbour who seemed to be offering help and support, but who actually wanted sex. Naz tells Gyles about being sent away to Pakistan as a 13 year-old, and forced into an arranged marriage with her first cousin. She talks about the concept of 'izzat', or honour, which runs so deeply through this traditional and conservative community. She talks about the dramatic events that happened when her mother finally snapped, and gave her abuser a fatal dinner which changed everything.This is a shocking story about the vulnerabilty, bravery and strength of women.Naz Shah's book, 'Honoured: Survival, Strength and My Path to Politics' is out now, and available here.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first of our Rosebuds in the week of International Women's Day, Gyles meets Dame Mary Archer, the scientist and former Chairs of Addenbrooke's Hospitals Trust and the Science Museum Group, made a Dame for her service to the NHS. Gyles talks to Dame Mary about her childhood, nurtured by a father who was highly ambitious for his daughters, who gave her a lifelong love of music. They talk about her interest in science, which began at primary school, and she and Gyles discuss whether scientists think differently to other people. They talk about Mary's time at Oxford University, where she studied chemistry and met and married Jeffrey Archer - and Gyles asks Mary about their relationship, and what drew these two apparently very different characters to each other. Mary and Gyles talk about some of the challenges she and Jeffrey have faced as a couple and about Mary's career as a scientist, and in public life. This is a long and in-depth conversation which gives a different, scientific, perspective on life. It's fascinating. Our thanks to Dame Mary Archer. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gyles talks the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and as this is a Rosebud conversation, we begin by hearing about Justin's fascinating family story. We hear about Justin's father - the charming, but alcoholic, Gavin Welby. About his mother, Jane Portal, who had worked as Winston Churchill's secretary and also struggled with alcohol addiction. About how, in the midst of chaos at home, Justin found solace in books, school, his grandmother, and eventually, in God. We hear about Justin's spiritual journey, about reading the Bible from cover-to-cover by the light of an oil lamp, about 'coming to faith' and about meeting his wife, Caroline, through the church. We hear about the birth of their first daughter, Johanna, and her tragic death in a road accident at only seven months old. We hear about Justin's career - first in the oil industry, and later in the Church of England. We hear about becoming the one hundred and fifth Archbishop of Canterbury, and some of the high points of that job. We hear about the shocking discovery Justin made about his family history in 2016.Gyles also talks, in some detail, to Justin about his resignation in 2024 - about his regrets, his learnings, and how that chastening experience has affected him. This is a long, thought-provoking and we hope, interesting conversation about failure, humanity and the possibility of redemption.Our thanks to Justin Welby.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a one-off episode, in which Gyles and Harriet discuss the British royal family and their future, in light of the recent scandal surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his arrest last week. Gyles has known and been involved with the family for many years, since he first met the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Phillip, when they both worked for the charity Fields in Trust. In this conversation, Gyles talks about the late Queen and Prince Phillip, and what they were like as parents. He talks about the Queen's close relationship with Andrew, and about the lengths to which she went to stand by him. Gyles gives us his views on the future of the monarchy, and whether or not this serious setback has affected his own loyalty to The Firm. Don't worry, if you're not a fan of royal news, normal Rosebud service will resume on Friday! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special edition of Rosebud, we celebrate the late, great, self-proclaimed cult that is Kenneth Williams - on what would have been his 100th birthday. One of the greatest British entertainers of the twentieth century, Williams was revered for his unique voice, his impeccable timing, his virtuoso storytelling and his brilliant appearances on Parkinson, in the Carry On films, and in series from Hancock's Half Hour to Round the Horne to Beyond our Ken.In this conversation, Gyles talks to the actor David Benson, who has been performing shows about Kenneth Williams for thirty years. Gyles and David talk about their own relationships with Kenneth - and they each give their own unique perspective about this complicated and gifted man. We find out about his childhood, his difficult relationship with his father, and his tortured relationship with his own sexuality. We hear about his working life, and the end of his life. Interwoven with this story are anecdotes from David Benson's life - whose life in some ways mirrors that of Kenneth Williams. This is a fascinating and unusual edition of Rosebud which we hope gives you a fresh insight into a household name.David's show, My Life with Kenneth Williams is currently touring, tickets are available here.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julian Fellowes, the creator and writer of Downton Abbey, Gosford Park, The Gilded Age - among other brilliant television series and movies - is our guest today. You'll know Julian's work - because he is one of the most popular, and prolific, screenwriters of our times. What you may not know is that he and Gyles lived under the same roof as toddlers, and shared a bath on a number of occasions; Gyles's family rented the basement flat from the Fellowes family in the early 50s, and the boys played together and have known each other ever since. So this is a friendly conversation filled with warmth, intelligence, humour and great stories. Julian tells Gyles about his family, his first night at boarding school, and his days as a Debs' Delight at Cambridge. He talks about his somewhat unpopular decision to become an actor, and meeting and marrying his wife, Emma. This is a brilliant edition of Rosebud, thank you so much to Julian Fellowes for his time, energy and fabulous conversation.We're back this Sunday, with a special edition to celebrate the late, great Kenneth Williams. And we're releasing a special royal edition of More Rosebud on Tuesday next week, with Gyles reading from his diaries.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's 1973, and Gyles is still working hard: putting on his star-studded son-et-lumières, appearing on Opportunity Knocks and... getting married. Yes, in a low-key and very private ceremony in London, Gyles Brandreth and Michèle Brown become husband and wife. They have a delicious lunch out and then go to Rome for their honeymoon, where they see the Pope. This is another fun, revelatory and nostalgic dip into the unmissable diaries of GDB.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gyles meets one of his teenage idols: the French-born ballet dancer and film star Leslie Caron. In this conversation, Caron tells Gyles about her childhood in Paris, under Nazi occupation, (and gives Gyles her unvarnished opinions of German soldiers). She tells Gyles about her father's pharmacy, where the local hookers would go to get their supplies. Leslie talks about dancing for the Ballet de Champs-Elysée, with the choreographer and director Roland Petit, and about being discovered by Gene Kelly. She talks about going to Hollywood for An American in Paris, and working with Fred Astaire, Orson Wells and Cary Grant. She talks about coming up with the idea for Gigi, and the making of that classic film. She talks about her marriages, most notably to the great director, Sir Peter Hall, and about the deaths of her parents.This is a fascinating conversation, full of names and memories from the Golden Age of Hollywood.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's almost Valentine's Day - Gyles's favourite day of the year (the old romantic...) - and we've got a special episode for you: all about love letters. We start off with some romantic Gyles and Harriet chat, featuring bunk beds, stolen glances from train carriages, and a case of mistaken identity. Then, Harriet takes Gyles to the National Archives at Kew, to visit their exhibition: Love Letters, and to talk to two of their expert historians about some of the exhibits. We meet Dr Sean Cunningham, who tells us about a letter from Robert Dudley to Queen Elizabeth I, and about a letter from Henry VIII's fifth wife, Catherine Howard, to Thomas Culpepper, which was part of the incriminating evidence which led to her eventual execution. Then we chat to Vicky Iglikovsky-Broad, the Chief Curator of the exhibition, who tells us about a romantic WWI letter and about a letter to the courts from the father of the Kray twins. We hope this gets you in the mood for love... and learning something along the way, too!"Love Letters" is on at the National Archives at Kew until April 12. It's free - and you can find out more information here.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gyles has been an admirer of this guest since the 1960s: it's the great actor, Sir Derek Jacobi. Ever since he was recruited into Sir Laurence Olivier's bold new National Theatre at the Old Vic, Jacobi has been at the forefront of British acting talent. Gyles has seen him on stage many times - in Olivier's famous production of Othello, in Much Ado About Nothing, in Cyrano de Bergerac. You may also know Derek from his brilliant TV work - in I, Claudius and Last Tango in Halifax... he's also the voice of In The Night Garden. In this warm and rambling conversation, Derek tells Gyles about his young life in Leytonstone in East London, where his father owned a confectioners shop. He tells him about his childhood love of dressing up and his early exposure to theatre, when he was picked to go up on stage at the Palladium. He tells Gyles about his experience of stage fright and about his happy marriage. This is a wonderful episode with a great, and charming, man. Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is an extraordinary edition of Rosebud - from the first memory to the last, it is peppered with legendary names, great artists and wild stories. Which isn't surprising, as our guest is Antony Penrose, the son of the celebrated photographer and model Lee Miller and the Surrealist artist, writer and historian Sir Roland Penrose.Antony tells Gyles about his mother, Lee Miller: how she was discovered on the streets of Manhattan and became one of the supermodels of the 1930s, trained as a photographer, and then moved to Paris to become a student and muse of the photographer Man Ray. He describes her independent spirit, her adventurous love life, and her first marriage to the Egyptian businessman Aziz Eloui Bey. He talks about Lee's life in Cairo, her second marriage to Roland Penrose, and her extraordinary war years, when she used her camera to take fearless and unforgettable pictures of the aftermath of WW2. Antony talks about his mother's descent into alcoholism and his own chequered relationship with her, and their eventual reconciliation. This really is one of the most brilliant interviews we've ever recorded for Rosebud and is well worth your time.A brilliant exhibition of Lee Miller's work is currently showing at Tate Britain in London until February 15. Kate Winslet's film Lee, which is discussed by Antony and Gyles, is also well worth watching. Antony Penrose's book The Lives of Lee Miller is fascinating and is available here. Farleys House, Miller and Penrose's house in West Sussex, is open to the public - tickets are available here.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining Gyles on this episode of Rosebud is the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey. But this isn't a conversation about politics, it's about Ed's life, his family, his experience of profound loss, and his involvement with caring for his closest relatives - his mother, who died of cancer when he was 15, and his son, John, who was born with neurological difficulties. This is a very moving episode, with some discussion of illness, death and bereavement.Sir Ed talks to Gyles about his father and mother, both of whom died too young - his father when Ed was only 4 years old, and his mother 11 years later. He paints a vivid picture of them, and particularly of his mum - her beauty, her courage and her love. He also talks about the years after his mum's death, when he and his brother lived alone in the family bungalow and had some wild parties with their school friends. He then talks about the birth of his son John, and the amazing work done by the Peto Institute in Hungary to improve his mobility and strength, and the dedication and commitment of his wife, Emily. All of this has led Ed to write a book Why I Care, about his experience of caring and about the importance of supporting carers.This is a very moving, inspiring conversation, full of hope and of love.Ed's book is available here. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1972 comes to a close, and Gyles is still building his unique portfolio career: touring the country dressed as Snoopy one minute, being the star columnist for Woman magazine the next. At one point, Fanny Craddock writes to him to reassure him that trying out lots of different jobs is no bad thing - when you're a man of many talents, it would be a shame not to put them all to good use! Enjoy this, diary fans. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dame Siân Phillips transports Gyles back to her childhood in Wales in the 1930s and 40s, where she grew up in a Welsh-speaking mining village, of which she paints a vivid picture. She describes hearing her policeman father play the piano and sing, playing spy games out with her friends, listening in on meetings of the Home Guard in the kitchen during the war. She also talks about her early success as an actress in her teens, going to RADA, and how she met Peter O'Toole and used to sit up all night with him playing the guitar. She talks about playing Marlene Dietrich and Livia in I, Claudius. This is an evocative interview with a remarkable actress and person. Cue the music.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last Sunday, 18th January, was Winnie-the-Pooh Day. It was the birthday of its creator, the author A A Milne. And Winnie-the-Pooh, his most famous book, was first published 100 years ago, in January 1926. Pooh became one of the most beloved children's book of all time, selling millions of copies around the world, and making the Milne family extremely wealthy - but not entirely happy. In this episode, Gyles tells the story of Pooh, A.A. Milne, Christopher Robin, and of the complex and sometimes sad reality behind the stories. As you may know, Gyles published a brilliant book all about A. A. Milne and his family last year. Called Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear, it's published by Penguin Michael Joseph and is available here. This episode has some Gyles and Harriet chat (we find out about Harriet's own connection to the Milnes) and then it features a talk Gyles gave at the Henley Literature Festival, in front of a live audience, all about his book and A. A. Milne. We hope you enjoy this! Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Baddiel joins Gyles this week to tell his unconventional family story. David paints a vivid picture of his childhood home in Dollis Hill, north-west London, and of the unusual people in it: his parents, and two brothers. His father, a frustrated scientist who ended up selling Dinky cars in an antiques market, was angry, disappointed, and hilarious. His mother was aspirational, cultured, with an extremely high sex drive. (This episode contains discussions of sex and relationships, and swear words, and is for 18+ listeners only). Their story is remarkable, sometimes funny, sometimes shocking, and, in the end, very moving.David's Channel 4 series, David Baddiel: Cat Man starts on Friday 16 January at 8pm. It's about David's love of cats, which started in childhood. His book, My Family is well worth reading, and is available here.Enjoy this! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.