Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

This week, Rob Brydon looks back on his childhood and adolescence in South Wales. From riding around on bikes pretending to be Starsky and Hutch, to his first electrifying stage kiss in the school play, to being rejected by Rada, bumping into Harold Pinter, and his friendship with Ronnie Corbett, this is an evocative, funny and fascinating interview peppered with impressions, famous names and great stories. It's slightly longer than our usual episodes, simply because Rob and Gyles were enjoying each other's company so much! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Geri Halliwell-Horner is a woman of many guises. She's been Ginger Spice, a hugely successful recording artiste and member of the world's biggest girl band. She's been a UN Goodwill Ambassador who met Nelson Mandela. She's been a heartthrob - who famously kissed Prince Charles when she first met him at The Royal Variety Performance. She is now a writer - her Rosie Frost series of novels for young adults have been bestsellers. In this frank and far-reaching conversation, Gyles finds out more about what makes Geri tick. From her childhood - when she performed to get her father's attention, to the devastating news that her father had died, to the years with the Spice Girls, to her present-day happiness as a wife, mother and writer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For our first episode of 2024 we have a very special guest: Sir Michael Palin. From his childhood in 1950s Sheffield, to getting drunk at boarding school, discovering his talent for writing and performing at Oxford University, meeting his wife Helen on holiday at 16 and of course the formation of Monty Python - Michael Palin has had a long and fascinating life. This is a an entertaining, fascinating and sometimes moving conversation, we hope you enjoy it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another medley episode for you, this time with a new year's focus. We've got new year's reminiscences from Lorraine Kelly, Anneka Rice and Joe Wicks, and Gyles tells a new year's eve story about a fateful family trip to Glasgow when he was a child. We end with a sneak preview of our next episode featuring the great Sir Michael Palin. See you next Friday, in 2024! Thanks so much for listening to Rosebud this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is a collection of Christmas stories and memories from lots of our Rosebud guests, friends and listeners. It's like a Christmas stocking: full of treats and surprises. Next week we'll do the same, but the theme will be new year. We'll be back with a full-length interview show on January 5th 2024, with Sir Michael Palin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Rosebud Christmas Special is with Rowan Williams, who was Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002 to 2012. Rowan begins by talking to Rowan telling Gyles about his childhood as a bright and doted upon only child who became increasingly drawn towards the church. He talks about his happy schooldays, his close friendships, and his inspirational teachers. And later in the podcast Rowan and Gyles talk about the message of healing at the heart of Christmas, and what it's like to be Archbishop of Canterbury. Next week and the week after we'll have two fun shows: we've made you some Christmas and new year medleys with messages from lots of our Rosebud guests. But until then, merry Christmas from us to you! We love getting your messages, so please email us at hello@rosebudpodcast.com with your first memories or comments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this second of the special Rosebud Christmas Cracker episodes, Gyles talks to Patricia Owtram: the first Rosebud centenarian. Pat tells Gyles about her fascinating and long life: from her childhood in 1920s Lancashire where she was taught to speak German by the family's Austrian cook, to her schooldays and her war years. Pat did critical work as part of the Y Service, listening in on the goings-on of the German fleet. She also tells Gyles about meeting George VI and about her later career as a journalist and TV producer. This conversation gives a fascinating glimpse of life as it was at the start of the 20th century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Rosebud Christmas Cracker Week, and we're giving you two special extra episodes before our Christmas Special this Friday. This first Christmas Cracker is with the acclaimed British actress Adjoa Andoh, who stars as Lady Danbury in Netflix's Bridgerton, alongside many appearances at the RSC, National Theatre and in shows such as Doctor Who and Casualty. Adjoa tells Gyles about the challenges she faced growing up as "the only black girl in the Cotswolds", and how this informed her recent portrayal of Richard III - a performance which Gyles found inspiring. She talks about her teens as a blue-haired punk rocker, her first love, and her discovery of theatre and how it led her to a career as an actor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Wicks, the man who inspired the UK to leap off their sofas and start exercising and eating healthily, joins Gyles for this episode. Joe talks about his childhood growing up with a father who was struggling with addiction, and a mum with OCD. He talks about his early love for PE and how that developed into a career. Joe is so impressive that Gyles even asks him for advice about his own wellness regime! Joe's book, Feel Good in 15 is out now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gyles talks to Strictly Come Dancing judge and ballroom dancer extraordinaire, Anton Du Beke. Anton shares stories of his childhood as the son of immigrant parents who had to work two jobs each to make ends meet, and tells Gyles about the driving ambition that led him to become a champion on the dancefloor, despite being a late starter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.