Radio Oldie

Elisabeth Luard talks to Charlotte Metcalf  with warmth and candour about her passion for cooking and food, her extensive travels, her upbringing in Uruguay and time as a  debutante in London during the 50s,  motherhood, her long marriage to Nicholas Luard, the one-time owner of Private Eye and founder of the satirical Establishment Club with Peter Cook.  She also describes the harrowing death of her daughter to AIDS and talks about her life now and loving - finally - having a ‘room of her own’ in Acton.  

Peter York is a British author and cultural and social commentator, perhaps best know for co-authoring The Official Sloane Rangers Handbook with Ann Barr in 1982. He was Style Editor of Harpers & Queen for ten years and recently started up a new podcast about culture wars, the subject of his latest book A Dead Cat On Your Table.

Hugh Johnson speaking about his new book, Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2025, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on January 21st 2025.”

Tim Marshall speaking about his new book, Prisoners Of Geography: the Quiz Book, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on January 21st 2025.

Chris Patten speaking about his memoir, The Hong Kong Diaries, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London's National Liberal Club, on January 21st 2025.

Robert Bathurst, star of Cold Feet and Toast of London, is playing Jeff Bernard in Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell in Jeff’s old haunt, the Coach & Horses. He tells Harry Mount what a sublime writer Bernard was.

Edward Stourton has worked in broadcasting for over 40 years and was a presenter on Today for many years.  He continues to present  BBC Radio 4 programmes like Sunday and The World at One.  He’s also been a foreign correspondent for Channel Four, ITN and the BBC and has written several books, including his recent memoir, Confessions, is now out in paperback with a new postscript commenting on how presenting news has changed during his career.    He was educated at Ampleforth and Cambridge. Charlotte Metcalf is a journalist, editor, award-winning documentary film-maker and was co-presenter of the Break Out Culture podcast. She is Supplements Editor and a frequent contributor at The Oldie.  

Kenneth Cranham CBE is a Scottish film, television, radio and stage actor. His most notable screen roles were in Oliver!, Up Pompeii, Hellbound: Hellraiser II, Chocolat, Layer Cake, Gangster No. 1, Hot Fuzz, Maleficent and Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool. 

William Boyd is a British novelist, short story, writer and screenwriter. Between 1980 and 1983, Boyd was a lecturer in English at St. Hilda's College, Oxford and it was while he was there that his first novel, A Good Man in Africa (1981) was published. He was also a television critic for the New Statesman between 1981 and 1983. Boyd was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2005 for services to literature. William Boyd has written numerous books, screenplays, short stories and plays.  Charlotte Metcalf is a journalist, editor, award-winning documentary film-maker and was co-presenter of the Break Out Culture podcast. She is Supplements Editor and a frequent contributor at The Oldie.

Sir John Ronald Leon, 4th Baronet (born 16 August 1934), known professionally as John Standing, is an English actor. Standing is best known for roles in the 1955 production of Titus Andronicus starring Laurence Olivier and his wife Vivien Leigh, and for leading parts in many plays such as The Importance of Being Earnest and Private Lives with Maggie Smith. John Standing has appeared in major roles on television, including: The First Churchills (1969), Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1979), The Choir (1995) and King Solomon's Mines (2004). John Standing is married to Sarah Standing. Charlotte Metcalf is a journalist, editor, award-winning documentary film-maker and was co-presenter of the Break Out Culture podcast. She is Supplements Editor and a frequent contributor at The Oldie.