20 Questions With Raymond Blanc

Social media sensation Poppy O'Toole charts her rise to cooking stardom, delights in the joys of potatoes, and explains her brand new book, The Actually Delicious Batch Cook Book. 

The man who helped teach Britain to cook! Of the thousands of people I've had the good fortune to interview, no one has seemed more passionate about what they do than Raymond Blanc. Here he takes us on the almost magical journey of his career: from having his jaw broken by his boss in France after daring to give him advice on his cooking, via winning two Michelin stars at his restaurant in Oxford, to setting up Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in the Oxfordshire countryside in 1984. Having just handed over the reins as Culinary Director to Arnaud Donckele, Raymond reflects on this massive moment in his life, and looks ahead to a future filled with promise and possibility. Along the way he has some advice for Andy Burnham and reveals what he believes to be the challenges facing Britain, his adopted home. This is a rare chance to glimpse into the soul of one of the greatest chefs in Franco-British history. 

The Liberal Democrats have 71 MPs, but we hear much more about Reform UK, a party with just eight MPs. So what does it mean to be a Lib Dem in 2026? I talked to Deputy Leader and Treasury Spokesperson Daisy Cooper to find out. Along the way I wanted to know whether the Lib Dems would countenance entering a coalition with Labour; what does Cooper make of Andy Burnham; how determined is she to keep Nigel Farage out of Number 10; what sort of job as leader does she think Ed Davey is doing; and why did she go into politics in the first place? 

One of Britain's best known educators, a prolific contemporary historian and biographer of Prime Ministers from Major and Blair to Sunak (out soon!) and Starmer (upcoming!), Sir Anthony Seldon offers his insights on the qualities needed for running Britain, looks back at leaders of the past and looks ahead to the challenges facing Andy Burnham. Sir Anthony also reflects on a career in education, spells out what good teaching involves, emphasises the need for joy in learning, and throws forward to a world dominated by AI. 

England men's all-time record try scorer, Rory Underwood, gives a rare interview, offering insights into his extraordinary career. He tells the story of how, as the son of a Malaysian Chinese mother and English father, he grew up in both Malaysia and England, and how he managed to combine a job flying jets for the Royal Airforce with scoring 49 tries for his country. He reflects on the impact his mother had on the sport when she was filmed celebrating in the stands as he and his brother Tony triumphed on the field, and gives details of just how different life was during the amateur era. Just five foot nine, Underwood explains how he didn't allow his stature to hold him back and reveals that he didn't feel fear - either on the wing or flying hawks close to the ground for the RAF. Underwood relives what it was like helping England win Grand Slams and provides a theory as to why English rugby struggles today compared to the golden era he played through and helped shape. 

The co-founder of the Centre for Social Justice and establisher of Conservative Home, Tim Montgomerie, explains why he left the Tory Party and joined Reform. 

Barry Gardiner, a Labour MP for almost 30 years and counting, explains why he thinks Keir Starmer should be replaced as Labour leader and Prime Minister, and why he has faith in the British public that they won't vote in a Reform government. 

Opera sensation Danielle de Niese charts her rise to worldwide fame as the daughter of Sri Lankan Burgher immigrants to first Australia and then America. Debuting at the Met as a 19 year-old Barbarina in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, she has gone to star in opera houses around the world, including at Glyndebourne, where she now lives with her husband. Hailed as "Opera's Coolest Soprano" by the New York Times in 2009, de Niese takes us behind the scenes of her success and offers insights into her art, as she embarks on her first directorial role. 

Immigration Minister Mike Tapp explains the government's immigration and asylum policy, outlines his "firm but fair" approach, defends Prime Minister Keir Starmer and calls for stability - "Look, I don't give a sh*t - can I swear on here? - I don't give a sh*t if people think that Keir Starmer's boring. We need boring, because that goes hand in hand with stability" - celebrates the Union Jack, describes British culture, calls out antisemitism and Islamophobia, advocates for the Labour government's record, reveals his interests outside of politics, and shares his love of his dog, Scooby. 

What was it like being Chancellor of the Exchequer during the mini budget crisis under Liz Truss's brief Prime Ministership? Kwasi Kwarteng takes us back to the fateful days in the autumn of 2022 with his insider's view. He explains why he was filmed smiling during the Queen's funeral and offers a human perspective on politics. Taking partial responsibility for the economic turbulence during the second shortest Chancellorship in British history, he reflects on the impact of his and Truss's choices. He also looks ahead to the next election and offers his prescription for a Tory recovery and his verdict so far on Kemi Badenoch. And he gives his view of Nigel Farage, who has invested in a bitcoin company Kwarteng is involved with. This is a rare chance to go behind the scenes of power and to better understand one of the most dramatic periods of British political history.  * Reform’s predicted national share of the vote from the local elections is 27%