Radio Oldie

As Keir Starmer stands down, John Humphrys, the Rottweiler of the Today programme, tells Matthew Norman about the Prime Ministers he's interviewed - from Jim Callaghan to Andy Burnham, Starmer's expected successor.  John reveals the time Margaret Thatcher outfoxed him and the day Tony Blair told him he was 'a pretty straight sort of guy'. Recorded by Yamaha Studios. This week's podcast is kindly s...

Editor Harry Mount chats to Supplements Editor Charlotte Metcalf about the theatre.  Charlotte adores London's pre-eminence as the great theatre city of the world. And Harry, once an avid theatregoer, has given up - thanks to the expense, discomfort and the terrifyingly low hit rate of brilliant plays with brilliant actors. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investo...

Jim White, the Oldie's sportswriter and Telegraph football correspondent, has covered eight World Cups and has written about sport for 40 years. He tells Harry Mount about England's performance and his favourite sportswriters of all time. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.

In a special recording for The Oldie, Maureen Lipman tells the sad tale of Elsa's Dad, based on a real story told to her by a fellow actress. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.

They gossip about her wild night in Manhattan with old friend Jay McInerney, author of Bright Lights, Big City – and wonder why authors aren't as glamorous as they used to be. What makes for the best book covers? Fruity talks about the joy of working for Virago, who made the glorious green jackets, with the ideal paintings to match. And why do all covers now seem to have a man in a suit loitering...

Kathy Lette burst onto our scenes as the exuberant and hilariously outspoken Australian novelist with Puberty Blues when she was just 17. With 20 more novels to her name since then, she talks to Charlotte Metcalf about her move to Britain, her marriages, sex and relationships, raising an autistic son and her latest novel The Sisterhood Rules which is underpinned by her determination to boost older...

Pru Leith speaking about her new book, Being Old... and Learning to Love It! , at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at Northern Irelands Clandeboye Estate near Belfast, on June 20th 2026. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies. The lunch was sponsored by Kirker Holidays.

Robert Hardman speaking about his book, Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. Her Inside Story , at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at Northern Ireland's historic Clandeboye Estate near Belfast, on June 20th 2026. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies. The lunch was sponsored by Kirker Holiday...

A N Wilson speaking about his book, The Wise and Their Works: The Great Exhibition of 1851 , at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at Northern Ireland's historic Clandeboye Estate near Belfast, on June 20th 2026. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies. The lunch was sponsored by Kirker Holidays.

Andrew Gailey speaking about his book, The Lost Imperialist: Lord Dufferin, Memory and Mythmaking in an Age of Celebrity , at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at Northern Ireland's historic Clandeboye Estate near Belfast, on June 20th 2026. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.

Oldie Editor Harry Mount and Supplements Editor Charlotte Metcalf enjoy the latest issue of the magazine. They discuss Tony Adams' last drink and Liz Hodgkinson's vow of celibacy.

Christopher Sykes, author of Hockney: The Biography, tells Harry Mount what the late, great painter was really like and why his pictures were quite so captivating. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.

Andrew Graham-Dixon speaking about his new book, Vermeer: A Life Lost and Found , at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on June 16th 2026.

Sinclair McKay speaking about his new book, Dad's Army: The Glorious True Story of the Home Guard in WW2 , at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on June 16th 2026.

James Reed speaking about his new book, Karma Capitalism: Why Being a Good Business is Good Business , at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on June 16th 2026.

World Cup fever is building for everyone – except John Humphrys. The last game the legendary broadcaster watched was the World Cup Final in 1966 – ever since, he has loathed professional sport. Meanwhile, Matthew Norman, former Evening Standard sports columnist, has written two books about sport – and will be glued to the telly for the next month. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie...

In a special sketch written for The Oldie, Maureen plays an aggrieved ex-wife asking her ex-husband, Brian, for help with her daughter, Maisie, who has gone catastrophically off the rails...

Oldie editor, Harry Mount, and supplements editor, Charlotte 'Fruity' Metcalf, discuss the latest issue of the magazine – and discuss the ingredients of the perfect article.

Charlotte Metcalf talks to the multiple-award winning writer Margaret Drabble about her books, her upbringing, her early life in theatre and her new book, The Great Good Places and discovers why she will never write another novel nor be publishing her long memoir during her lifetime.

John Humphrys loathes the pretence - and expense - of smart restaurants. Matthew Norman, former food critic, has spent some of his happiest moments in restaurants - but has never matched the pleasure of a Chinese meal in Willesden when he was six. Recorded at Yamaha Studios

Christopher Hampton is one of Britain’s most outstanding and prolific playwrights and screenwriters. Currently his Dangerous Liaisons is playing at the National Theatre, while his Atonement has its world premiere at Chichester Festival Theatre on 29th May and his The Truth opens at The Apollo Theatre in June.  He talks to Charlotte Metcalf about his life in film and cinema and the characters he’s...

Colin Bell speaking about his new book, Bloody Dangerous: Fifty missions over Germany: The last first-hand account from WW2 , at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on May 12th 2026.

Robert Hardman speaking about his new book, Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story , at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on May 12th 2026.

Hugo Vickers speaking about his new book, Queen Elizabeth II: A Personal History,  at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on May 12th 2026. He teased his fellow biographer Robert Hardman for being only three years old when Hugo first met the Queen in 1968. Robert may have met Donald Trump in the Oval Office but Hugo met the Queen in the Oak Room at Windsor Castle, to...

Charlotte Metcalf talks to Christine Dawood, whose book 96 Hours is published on 12th May.  The book tells Christine’s harrowing story of losing her husband, Shahzada, and 19-year-old son, Suleman, when the Titan submersible imploded on an exploratory diving mission down to the Titanic in June 2023.  It intersperses her account of that agonising wait with vignettes from her happy, loving family li...