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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English

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#515
Yesterday · 33 min
515: The Odd Couple – John Humphrys and Matthew Norman discuss the US Midterm elections
After the US Midterms, John Humphrys, who covered the downfall of President Nixon, talks to Matthew Norman about Donald Trump's future. Will he be impeached? What will be the effect of political gridlock and the outlook for American foreign policy? This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#514
Yesterday · 36 min
514: Siân Phillips in conversation with Charlotte Metcalf
Dame Siân Phillips is one of our most prolific and multi-award-winning actors, famous for her numerous stage roles, including Hedda Gabler and Saint Joan, and for her screen and television roles. On the 50th anniversary of the television series of Robert Graves’s I Claudius, in which she played the ruthless Empress Livia, she talks to Charlotte Metcalf about her long career and her life, including her marriage to Peter O’Toole. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#513
October 26 · 17 min
513: Nell Dunn in conversation with Charlotte Metcalf
Charlotte Metcalf visits the author and playwright Nell Dunn, now aged 90, and asks her to look back on her life. She reflects on her unconventional upbringing, her determination to challenge the class structures of the sixties and on the impact of her famous works, including Up the Junction, Poor Cow and Steaming. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#512
October 20 · 46 min
512: Max Hastings in conversation with Harry Mount at the Henley Literary Festival
Appearing at the Henley Literary Festival, Max Hastings talks to Harry Mount about his new book, Plunder – the Last of the War in Europe, 1945. The book takes its title from Montgomery’s ‘Operation Plunder’, the 23 March 1945 crossing of the Rhine, witnessed by Winston Churchill, with huge amphibious and airborne landings. Max Hastings brilliantly unpicks the chaos, tragedy and heroism of the closing months of the war. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#511
October 15 · 35 min
511: Aberfan, Sixty Years On – John Humphrys and Matthew Norman
Sixty years ago, on October 21, 1966, a colliery spoil tip collapsed, and engulfed the Welsh village of Aberfan, killing 116 children and 28 adults. John Humphrys, the Today programme presenter, was the first reporter to get to that harrowing scene hours later. He tells Oldie columnist Matthew Norman how vividly he still recalls the agony and bravery of the bereaved villagers, desperate to rescue their children. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#510
October 12 · 26 min
510: Madeline Smith in conversation with Harry Mount
Madeline Smith - the Bond Girl in Live and Let Die - tells Harry Mount about Roger Moore's magnetic digital watch that undid her dress in the film. And she recalls the dazzling list of stars she's worked with, from Alec Guinness to The Two Ronnies. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#509
October 6 · 12 min
509: Madeline Smith at the Oldie Literary Lunch
Madeline Smith speaking about her new book, Bond Girl: From '60s Fashion Model to Half a Century on Stage and Screen, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on October 6th 2026. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#508
October 6 · 11 min
508: Giles Milton at the Oldie Literary Lunch
Giles Milton speaking about his new book, Empire at the Edge of the World, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on October 6th 2026. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#508
October 6 · 13 min
508: William Cook at the Oldie Literary Lunch
William Cook speaking about his new book, The Fifteenth Man, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on October 6th 2026. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#507
September 30 · 11 min
507: When Harry met Fruity - the Hell of Modern Travel
Crammed airports. Traffic jams. Thugs playing loud music on trains… Is any form of travel bearable these days? Editor, Harry Mount, and Supplements Editor, Charlotte ‘Fruity’ Metcalf, compare their war stories of modern travel. And yet… there are still some empty spots left - from the Pembrokeshire coast to the Greek islands. Harry and Fruity name their dream hideaways… This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#506
September 22 · 22 min
506: Sister Teresa Keswick in conversation with Harry Mount
Sister Teresa Keswick has written unique columns for The Oldie for 12 years. Now she has written a book, Comfort and Joy: A Nun’s Reflections, about her life in a monastery, illuminated by her favourite books and artists. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#505
September 16 · 15 min
505: When Harry met Fruity - the October issue of the Oldie Magazine
Editor Harry Mount and Supplements Editor Charlotte 'Fruity' Metcalf discuss the new issue of the Oldie. In his book, Idle in Provence, Eric Idle looks back at 55 years in his French hideaway. In his interview with Harry Mount, he mourns the terrible loss of 29 nearby houses in the forest fires this summer. And he still doesn't know why the other Pythons aren't talking to him any more. Fruity is much moved by Rachael Stirling's new book about her mother, Diana Rigg, and the actor Simon Williams's review of the book. And they discuss the theory coined by Oldie rock columnist Mark Ellen - that stars are frozen at the age they become famous. Nigel Planer - Neil in The Young Ones - is much taken with the theory in his article in the new issue. All in the thrilling October issue! This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#504
September 11 · 21 min
504: John Humphrys, the Rottweiler of the Today programme, argues with Oldie columnist Matthew Norman about defence spending
We're not at war, says John - so why waste money that could go to African aid? Russian attacks are increasing - and the Far Right is on the march - across Europe. So we must pay to keep them at bay, says Matthew. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#503
September 10 · 35 min
503: Ian La Frenais in conversation with Harry Mount
Ian La Frenais tells Harry Mount about his extraordinary writing partnership with Dick Clement that has lasted over 60 years. Starting with The Likely Lads in 1964, they have written Porridge, Lovejoy, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet - and The Commitments. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#502
September 8 · 16 min
502: Mary Beard at the Oldie Literary Lunch
Mary Beard speaking about his new book, Talking Classics: The Shock of the Old, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on September 8th 2026. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#501
September 8 · 9 min
501: Julian Lloyd-Webber at the Oldie Literary Lunch
Julian Lloyd-Webber speaking about his new book, Bows and Arrows: The Autobiography, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on September 8th 2026. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#500
September 8 · 14 min
500: Matthew Sweet at the Oldie Literary Lunch
Matthew Sweet speaking about his new book, The Great Dictator: A Life of Barbara Cartland, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on September 8th 2026. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#499
September 7 · 30 min
499: Natalie Livingstone in conversation with Charlotte Metcalf
Natalie Livingstone is a writer whose book, The Nuremberg Women, published earlier this year, became an instant bestseller. She’s also chairs the Cliveden Literary Festival, now in its ninth year and coming up in October. She talks to Charlotte Metcalf about the festival and about extraordinary women involved in the Nuremberg trials. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#498
August 24 · 23 min
498: Robert Harris in conversation with Harry Mount
Robert Harris tells Harry Mount about his new historical novel, Agrippa. Agrippa, Emperor Augustus's righthand man, built the Pantheon and won the Battle of Actium. But he was a plebeian - and the ultimate insider-outsider of the Roman Empire. This week's podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.
#497
August 17 · 29 min
497: Nigel Havers in conversation with Charlotte Metcalf
Nigel Havers is the well-known actor, renowned for his numerous movies from Passage to India with David Lean to Chariots of Fire alongside his television work. He’s been in The Charmer and acted for long stints in Coronation Street, Don’t Wait Up and the very popular The Bidding Room. He talks to Charlotte Metcalf about his latest one-man show Talking Bollocks, being in the annual pantomime at the Palladium and much more. This week’s podcast is kindly sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Actual Investors, who take a long-term approach to investing in exceptional companies.

Showing 1–20 of 43 episodes