Radio Oldie

Lady Antonia Fraser, 93 – Oldie of the Year

Lady Antonia Fraser wrote The House That Spoke: The History of a Home last year – 71 years after her first book, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Introduced by Gyles Brandreth.

Maggi Hambling, 80 – Oldie Finest Artist

Now aged 80, Maggi is still going at full blast. She is in her studio - or by the North Sea with her sketchbook - by 6am every morning.

Introduced by Gyles Brandreth.

Michael Heath, 90 – Oldie King of the Toons

At 90, Michael Heath remains our finest observational cartoonist. Since he first placed a cartoon in Melody Maker in 1955 – more than 70 years ago – he has drawn people with the clothes, hair and mannerisms of the moment.

Introduced by Gyles Brandreth.

Stephen Frears, 84 – Silver-Screen Evergreen Oldie

Over a period of six decades and with remarkably little fuss, Stephen Frears has established himself as our pre-eminent film director.

Introduced by Gyles Brandreth.

Anita Lasker-Walfisch, 100 – Oldie Maestra

Anita Lasker Wallfisch, 100, a German-British cellist, was a member of the Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz.  After the war, she co-founded ensembles including the English Chamber Orchestra and has been honoured for her contributions to music and Holocaust remembrance.

Introduced by Gyles Brandreth

Susan Hampshire, 88 – Oldie Comeback Kid

Susan Hampshire starred in The Forsyte Saga as Fleur in the late 1960s. Then, last year, she returned as Lady Carteret in the prequel, The Forsytes.

Introduced by Gyles Brandreth.

Stephen Frears is one of Britain’s most prolific and successful film and television directors. His 1985 film My Beautiful Laundrette made his name and launched the careers of Daniel Day-Lewis and Tim Bevan of Working Title.

Stephen talks to Charlotte Metcalf about his phenomenal career, from directing Dangerous Liaisons, written by Christopher Hampton in 1988 and starring John Malkovich, Glenn Close and Michelle Pfeiffer, to working with Martin Scorsese on Grifters and with Stephen Knight on Dirty Pretty Things (2002). 

He also talks about his admiration for Hugh Grant who played Jeremy Thorpe in his 2018 mini-series A Ver...

Jeremy King, the greatest restaurateur of the age, tells Harry Mount how he set up the Caprice, the Ivy and the Wolseley. He explains how he trains his waiters, how he spots when a diner is about to hit him and why he wrote his new book, Without Reservation - Lessons from a Life in Restaurants.

Mary Berry speaking about her new book, Mary 90: My Very Best Recipes, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on January 20th 2026.

Jeremy King speaking about his new book, Without Reservation: Lessons from a Life in Restaurants, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on January 20th 2026.

John Davie speaking about his new book, Greek to Us: the Fascinating Ancient Greek that Shapes our World, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on January 20th 2026.

Charlotte Metcalf talks to Helen Macdonald, author of H is for Hawk - the best-selling story of how she dealt with the grief over her father's death by bringing up a goshawk in Cambridge. The book has just been made into a film, starring Claire Foy (pictured) as Helen - it comes out this Friday, January 23rd. 

As he turns 90, Hunter Davies tells Harry Mount about being the Beatles' only official biographer – the priceless, hand-written lyrics he picked up off the floor of Abbey Road Studios, John Lennon's disapproving Aunt Mimi and the swimming trunks Paul McCartney left at his Portugal house.

Beyond being one of the Pythons in Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Michael Palin has had a varied career as an actor, writer and television presenter and is now known for his popular books and travel documentaries.  He was knighted in 2019 for services to travel, culture and geography.  He talks to Charlotte Metcalf about his love of travel and art, how he began in comedy, stammering, as he did in a A Fish Called Wanda,  his ‘harmonious’ temperament and much more.

Lady Glenconner tells Harry Mount about life as Princess Margaret's lady-in-waiting: how Fergie told her how much the Queen liked her book; and the royal waves, from the Queen's crisp wave to the Queen Mother's - like 'stirring a pudding'.

Matthew Bourne is widely hailed as Britain’s most popular and successful choreographer with a record number of prestigious awards.  He talks to Charlotte Metcalf about Red Shoes, currently playing at Sadlers Wells, and much more.  His 1995 Swan Lake, replacing female swans with male dancers, is the world’s longest running full-length dance classic in the West End and on Broadway.  He was knighted in 2016 for his outstanding contribution to the art of ballet.  

Gyles Brandreth speaking about his new book, Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on December 9th 2025.

Lady Anne Glenconner speaking about her new book, Mischief & Manners, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on December 9th 2025.

Adam Sisman speaking about his new book, The Indefatigable Asa Briggs, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on December 9th 2025.

Pam Ayres is a much-loved poet, comedian, songwriter and broadcaster, particularly famous for her poem ‘I Wish I’d Looked After my Teeth’.  She was awarded an MBE in 2004 for services to literature and entertainment. She talks to Charlotte Metcalf about her life, including performing for the Queen, and performs her most recent poem ‘I’ll Have to Send it Back’.    

Henry Marsh is a neurosurgeon who became well-known when his best-selling book, Do No Harm was published in 2014. Since then, he’s written two more books, Admissions: A Life in Brain Surgery, followed by And Finally in 2022. He’s had three BBC documentaries made about him and remains a frequent visitor to Ukraine, where he has been a volunteer surgeon and is now a popular lecturer.  

Andrew Lownie speaking about his new book, Entitled: Prince Andrew, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on November 25th 2025.

Ferdinand Mount speaking about his new book, Soft: A Brief History of Sentimentality, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on November 25th 2025.

Roger Moorhouse speaking about his new book, Wolfpack: The Gripping New World War Two History Taking Us Inside Hitler's U-Boat War, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on November 25th 2025.

Nicholas Hytner is one of our leading theatre, opera and film directors, knighted in 2010 for services to drama.  He is artistic director at The Bridge Theatre, which he co-founded with Nick Starr after stepping down in 2015 as Director of the National Theatre. He’s also the founder of Lightroom, the innovative immersive venue for art, most notable for its Hockney exhibition.  Nicholas talks to Charlotte Metcalf about The Choral, his latest film collaboration with Alan Bennett (starring Ralph Fiennes and with Elgar played by Simon Russell Beale) and much more, including his views on arts funding and the dearth of arts...

Michael Morpurgo has written over 150 books, many for children, including War Horse.  He has served as the Children’s Laureate and was knighted in 2018 for services to literature and charity.  His latest books is Funny Thing Getting Older.

Merlin Holland pays tribute to his grandfather Oscar Wilde and discusses his new book, After Oscar: The Legacy of a Scandal. 

Merlin tells Harry Mount how the shock waves from Wilde's trial echoed through the 20th century, right into his own lifetime. How he wishes he could ask Wilde why he took the fatal step of suing the Marquess of Queensberry.

Merlin Holland speaking about his new book, After Oscar: The Legacy of a Scandal, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on November 4th 2025.

Sarah Vine speaking about her new book, How Not to be a Political Wife, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on November 4th 2025.

Ysenda Maxtone-Graham speaking about her new book, Screams: Shrieks of Horror and Yelps of Pleasure from Modern Life, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on November 4th 2025.

Edward Fox tells Harry Mount about playing Sir Brian Horrocks in A Bridge Too Far and his starring role as Edward VIII in Edward & Mrs Simpson. He details his extraordinary acting bloodline and explains how he approached the melon-shooting scene in The Day of the Jackal.

Daniel Finkelstein is an award-winning political commentator and journalist.  He’s a Times columnist, and author of his 2023 memoir, Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad. Previously he was a politician and political advisor to John Major and William Hague. He was appointed to the House of Lords as a life peer in 2013.  

He talks to Charlotte Metcalf about his book and his parents – his mother was sent to Bergen-Belsen, his father to a Siberian gulag – and shares his views on politics, Israel, multi-culturalism, the state of Britain and much, much more with openness and candour.

Jeremy Hunt, former Chancellor and Foreign Secretary, tells Harry Mount about his new book, Can We Be Great Again?: Why a Dangerous World Needs Britain.
He sympathises with Rachel Reeves about the prospect of dealing with a mammoth deficit – and recalls meeting Donald Trump at Chequers.

Gus Christie took Glyndebourne Opera over from his father George in 2000.  He tells us about Glyndebourne’s beginnings when his grandfather John Christie fell in love with and married the soprano Audrey Mildmay and decided to build her an opera house. Gus also reflects on his own decision to step into his father’s shoes, describes his vision and tells us about the upcoming Autumn Festival.

Jonathan Dimbleby speaking about his new book, Endgame 1944: How Stalin Won the War, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on October 7th 2025.

Jeremy Hunt speaking about his new book, Can We Be Great Again?: Why a Dangerous World Needs Britain, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on October 7th 2025.

Frances Wilson speaking about her new book, Electric Spark: The Enigma of Muriel Spark, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on October 7th 2025.

Gyles Brandreth tells Harry Mount about his new book about Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne and Gyles’s friend, Christopher Robin Milne. Winnie the Pooh first appeared in print 100 years ago.

A N Wilson in conversation with Harry Mount at this month's Dartmouth Literary Festival, sponsored by The Oldie.
A N Wilson chatted about two of his books, Goethe: His Faustian Life andVictoria: A Life.  In a dazzling talk, he discusses Queen Victoria's hidden child with John Brown and how Goethe discovered evolution before Darwin.

Alexander McCall Smith is a prolific and fast writer, known mainly for his best-selling series The Number One Ladies Detective Agency in Botswana and featuring his popular heroine Mama Precious Ramotswe. 

The books have been translated into 46 languages and sold millions worldwide. These and his numerous other books, including the Scotland Street series, have earned him a global reputation, a CBE and in 2024 a knighthood for services to Literature, Academia and Charity.