Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

• Melvyn Bragg

  We have a broadcasting legend for you today on Rosebud, as Gyles interviews the creator and host of In Our Time and The South Bank Show, Melvyn Bragg, Lord Bragg of Wigton. Melvyn takes Gyles back to his roots in Wigton, a small town in Cumbria, in which his parents ran one of the local pubs, and the young Bragg played all day long in the streets, making bows and arrows from trees overhanging the river. He tells Gyles about his schooldays, the brilliant teachers who guided him and there's a really interesting discussion of the unexpected mental health problems he had as a teenager. He takes us to Oxford University, where he fell in love with cinema, and was encouraged to apply for a BBC traineeship. And we hear about some of the landmark interviews of his career, with Francis Bacon and Paul McCartney. But its Bragg's evocation of his working class childhood which will really stay with you - this is a journey to a special time and place which no longer really exists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• More Rosebud - Lord Ivar Mountbatten

  Our guest today is Lord Ivar Mountbatten, a great-great-great grandson of Queen Victoria, cousin of Prince Phillip, descendant of Russian Tsars and of Pushkin, and the second son of David, the late Marquess of Milford Haven, who was Prince Philip's best man at his wedding to Princess Elizabeth in 1947. Lord Ivar tells Gyles about his complex and fascinating lineage, and he also tells him about growing up in a grand house "like Downton Abbey", surrounded by servants and with a mother who was lazy, uninterested in her children and too posh to pack her own suitcase. He talks about the death of his father when he was only 7, and about his relationship with his Great Uncle, Louis Mountbatten, who was eventually assassinated in 1979. Ivar talks about his schooldays and tells Gyles some great stories about holidaying with Queen Elizabeth II. He talks about his sexuality, about meeting and marrying his wife, and about how he eventually gained the courage to come out as gay and begin a new life with his now husband, James Coyle. And he talks about appearing on the US version of the Traitors! This is a fascinating snapshot of life in the English aristocracy, and an honest account of coming out as gay when you're a member of one of the most famous families in the world. Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Su Pollard

  The sun is out and our guest this week is a ray of sunshine. It's the unique British comic actress and fashion icon Su Pollard. In this brilliant conversation, Su tells Gyles about her childhood in Nottingham, how she got the bug for performing when she was still in the infants and used to go to school dressed in wild outfits that made her look like a morris dancer. He hears about her parents, Don and Hilda, how her father liked to garden in his shirt and tie and their impressive work ethic. He hears about Su's first boyfriend, her first professional role and her first meeting with the Queen. And he hears about Hi-de-Hi and how Su sometimes answers the front door as Peggy. This is a unique conversation with one of the true originals of British showbiz. Su is currently on a nationwide tour called "Still Fully Charged". Tickets and info available from supollardlive.com.Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Gyles's diary, episode 22

  Well, Gyles's diary continues to wow Harriet - and all our lovely listeners - and this week is no exception... Because at the height of the Cold War (it's 1968 and the USSR have just invaded Czechoslovakia), the young Mr Brandreth goes off on a research trip to Moscow. And it is truly fascinating - a snapshot of Soviet life with all its surveillance, austerity and difference. Back in the UK, life is as busy as ever - preparations for Cinderella continue, the relationship with Michele is flourishing, and Gyles meets Jack Profumo. Plus a fantastic listener email from Amelia Stay. Enjoy this! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Anthony Horowitz

  A best-selling novellist with a life story that reads like a best-selling novel... our guest this week is Anthony Horowitz. In this absorbing and - at times - moving and shocking conversation, Anthony tells Gyles about his young life and upbringing, which is extraordinary. Born to wealthy parents into a very large home of extreme privilege, Horowitz's childhood was cold, lonely and lacking in love and affection. His father was critical and prone to cruelty, his mother was stifled. The teachers at his prep school were brutal and abusive. So it's not surprising that Anthony looks back at this childhood with ambivalence, anger and regret, and that it's found its way into many of his books. Anthony also tells Gyles about how he found his voice as a writer, about meeting his wife, Jill Green, and their brilliant partnership, and about his hatred of writers' routines. Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Over Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth