Radio Oldie

The Oldie magazine’s podcast featuring discussion and debate around the lead features in the latest magazine, plus live recordings from our famous Literary Lunches. Presented by Harry Mount.

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494 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes494

Newest first

Thursday · 9 min
493: When Harry Met Fruity - Ed Stourton remembered
Charlotte 'Fruity' Metcalf pays tribute to her dear Cambridge friend, the BBC broadcaster Ed Stourton, who has died at 68. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
July 27 · 28 min
492: Amanda Craig in conversation with Charlotte Metcalf
Amanda Craig is a critic, award-winning journalist and author. She’s one of our only female state-of-the-nation novelists and has been compared with Balzac, Trollope and Dickens. She talks to Charlotte Metcalf about her latest novel High and Low. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
July 20 · 19 min
491: Titus Mills in conversation with Harry Mount
Titus Mills is a headmaster - and an expert on Operation Market Garden, the doomed Allied landings in Holland in 1944, recalled in A Bridge Too Far (1977). As we approach the 82nd anniversary, Titus took a group of Oldie readers to Arnhem. There, he told Harry Mount about the many veterans he got to know and their epic, heroic actions.
July 16 · 14 min
490: When Harry Met Fruity – the August issue of The Oldie
Editor Harry Mount chats to Supplements Editor Charlotte Metcalf about the new issue. They admire the article on David Hockney by his friend, biographer and fellow Yorkshireman, Christopher Sykes. And they're moved and abused by Anne Sebba's distress at all the condolence letters on her husband's premature death. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
July 15 · 25 min
489: Tony Adams tells Harry Mount about his new book, '1996 – Reflections on the Year that Changed My Life'.
It will be his last book, he says. As England play the semi-final against Argentina, he recalls the 1996 Euro semi-final against Germany and the 1998 World Cup, and how he consoled David Beckham after losing. He doesn’t really miss football because he was never really a fan. Rather, he admired the qualities of individual players from different teams. And he did all he could wish for in his career. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
July 14 · 11 min
488: Tony Adams at the Oldie Literary Lunch
Tony Adams speaking about his new book, 1996 - Reflections on the Year that Changed My Life, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on July 14th 2026. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
July 14 · 11 min
487: Rowan Williams at the Oldie Literary Lunch
Rowan Williams speaking about his new book, Solidarity - The Work of Recognition, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on July 14th 2026. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
July 14 · 11 min
486: A. N. Wilson at the Oldie Literary Lunch
A N Wilson speaking about his new book, The Wise and their Works - The Great Exhibition of 1851, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on July 14th 2026. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
July 13 · 34 min
485: Nicholas Shakespeare in conversation with Charlotte Metcalf
Nicholas Shakespeare, who talks to Charlotte Metcalf about his latest novel Frame 37, was described by the Wall Street Journal as one of the best English novelists of our time. His novel The Dancer Upstairs was made into a feature film by John Malkovich in 2002. Alongside his fiction, his non-fiction includes acclaimed biographies of Bruce Chatwin, Ian Fleming and Six Minutes in May about Winston Churchill. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
July 9 · 39 min
484: The Odd Couple, sponsored by Baillie Gifford - John Humphrys recalls interviewing Prime Ministers, from Jim Callaghan to Andy Burnham
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 sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
July 8 · 13 min
483: When Harry Met Fruity – the highs and lows of theatre
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 Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
July 1 · 30 min
482: Jim White in conversation with Harry Mount
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.
June 29 · 9 min
481: Maureen Lipman - Elsa's Dad
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.
June 24 · 14 min
480: Editor Harry Mount chats to Fruity Metcalf, editor of the new Oldie Review of Books, free with the July issue of The Oldie
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 on a street corner or running down a dark alley? This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
June 24 · 40 min
479: Kathy Lette in conversation with Charlotte Metcalf
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 women’s confidence and encourage and promote female solidarity. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
June 22 · 7 min
478: Pru Leith at the Oldie Literary Lunch
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.
June 22 · 14 min
477: Robert Hardman at the Oldie Literary Lunch
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 Holidays.
June 22 · 12 min
476: A N Wilson at the Oldie Literary Lunch
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.
June 22 · 12 min
475: Andrew Gailey at the Oldie Literary Lunch
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.
June 18 · 17 min
474: When Harry Met Fruity – the July Issue
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.