The Waterstones Podcast

Looking back on his life so far through the prism of food, Ed Gamble’s Glutton is a hilarious take from a foodie obsessive who’s come to recognise quality over quantity. We sat down to talk about the ultimate cheeseboard, why Guinness is magical, and how type 1 diabetes impacts his favourite pastime.

Widely regarded as one of Britain’s greatest actresses, Dame Judi Dench has conquered both stage and screen in a career spanning six decades. In Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays The Rent, her conversations with actor and director Brendan O’Hea provide illuminating insights into the works of the Bard as well as hugely entertaining stories from her life on stage. We sat down for our own conversation with them both to talk about first steps on the stage, the genius of Shakespeare, and why being part of a company in service of an audience is the most important thing.

With a career spanning seven decades, Sir Patrick Stewart is still probably best known to many as Captain Jean-Luc Picard or Professor X - but what of the journey towards these career highs? With his memoir, Making it So, now on shelves, we sat down to speak with him about his childhood in Yorkshire, the influence of a troubled father, and the inspiring teachers who set him on the path to stardom.

Having created thrills on screen as an actor it was perhaps only a matter of time before Richard Armitage decided to create a literary thriller of his own. After memorable appearances in TV thrillers like Spooks and three separate Harlan Coben dramas, Armitage has penned his own, Geneva, which sees a Nobel Prize-winning scientist forced to question everything as intrigue swirls around a new bio-tech innovation. We sat down to talk about literary influences, his approach to writing, and why acting and music have both helped him create this first novel.

Familiar to millions as the woman who brought Indian cookery into UK kitchens through her books and TV series, Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookery is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a sumptuous new edition featuring some brand new recipes. We sat down to speak with her from New York about her childhood in India, training as an actress in London, and her influence to this day as the author of the book that many still maintain is the best Indian cookbook available.

In her latest book, eminent historian and author, Mary Beard, presents a thematic approach to the role of Roman Emperor. What did it mean to be at the head of the empire, what daily work was involved, and what did it mean to have access to his inner circle? We sat down to talk about Roman dining, statues and coins, and why this period of history holds such fascination to people living today.

Well-known to fans of The Young Ones, Bottom, or any number of alternative comedy shoots from the 1980s onwards, Adrian Edmondson’s anarchic comedy of violence has surprising roots in an unsettled childhood. We sat down to talk about boarding school, found family and why the whole comedy thing was a bit of an accident.

No matter how you feel about them, there’s no doubt that the Royal Family still play a crucial role in our national identity - but how did we get to where we are? And how much do we really know about the Kings and Queens of our past? We sat down with comedian and writer David Mitchell to discover why the early Kings were just successful bullies, why royal succession is a bit like losing your mobile phone, and why Magna Carta is important for many reasons, but doesn’t get you off wearing a face mask or paying your council tax.

The cause of more dropped jaws than almost any other entertainer, Miriam Margolyes shared a lifetime of hilarious incident in her first memoir, This Much Is True. Thankfully, she has plenty more to say, and in Oh Miriam! we have more hilarity, but also reflection, emotion, and a healthy dose of passion too; all of which is on display in our exclusive conversation with her.

Former Waterstones Children’s Book Prize-winner Katherine Rundell has turned to fantasy to create her latest fictional world. The Archipelago is a cluster of magical islands where humans live alongside the creatures of myth, but the magic is under threat. We sat down to speak about a childhood of adventure, standing on the shoulders of giants, and what readers can expect from this exciting new trilogy.