More Rosebud - Gyles's Diaries, episode 34

This is an extraordinary edition of Rosebud - from the first memory to the last, it is peppered with legendary names, great artists and wild stories. Which isn't surprising, as our guest is Antony Penrose, the son of the celebrated photographer and model Lee Miller and the Surrealist artist, writer and historian Sir Roland Penrose.Antony tells Gyles about his mother, Lee Miller: how she was discovered on the streets of Manhattan and became one of the supermodels of the 1930s, trained as a photographer, and then moved to Paris to become a student and muse of the photographer Man Ray. He describes her independent spirit, her adventurous love life, and her first marriage to the Egyptian businessman Aziz Eloui Bey. He talks about Lee's life in Cairo, her second marriage to Roland Penrose, and her extraordinary war years, when she used her camera to take fearless and unforgettable pictures of the aftermath of WW2. Antony talks about his mother's descent into alcoholism and his own chequered relationship with her, and their eventual reconciliation. This really is one of the most brilliant interviews we've ever recorded for Rosebud and is well worth your time.A brilliant exhibition of Lee Miller's work is currently showing at Tate Britain in London until February 15. Kate Winslet's film Lee, which is discussed by Antony and Gyles, is also well worth watching. Antony Penrose's book The Lives of Lee Miller is fascinating and is available here. Farleys House, Miller and Penrose's house in West Sussex, is open to the public - tickets are available here.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining Gyles on this episode of Rosebud is the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey. But this isn't a conversation about politics, it's about Ed's life, his family, his experience of profound loss, and his involvement with caring for his closest relatives - his mother, who died of cancer when he was 15, and his son, John, who was born with neurological difficulties. This is a very moving episode, with some discussion of illness, death and bereavement.Sir Ed talks to Gyles about his father and mother, both of whom died too young - his father when Ed was only 4 years old, and his mother 11 years later. He paints a vivid picture of them, and particularly of his mum - her beauty, her courage and her love. He also talks about the years after his mum's death, when he and his brother lived alone in the family bungalow and had some wild parties with their school friends. He then talks about the birth of his son John, and the amazing work done by the Peto Institute in Hungary to improve his mobility and strength, and the dedication and commitment of his wife, Emily. All of this has led Ed to write a book Why I Care, about his experience of caring and about the importance of supporting carers.This is a very moving, inspiring conversation, full of hope and of love.Ed's book is available here. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1972 comes to a close, and Gyles is still building his unique portfolio career: touring the country dressed as Snoopy one minute, being the star columnist for Woman magazine the next. At one point, Fanny Cradock writes to him to reassure him that trying out lots of different jobs is no bad thing - when you're a man of many talents, it would be a shame not to put them all to good use! Enjoy this, diary fans.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dame Siân Phillips transports Gyles back to her childhood in Wales in the 1930s and 40s, where she grew up in a Welsh-speaking mining village, of which she paints a vivid picture. She describes hearing her policeman father play the piano and sing, playing spy games out with her friends, listening in on meetings of the Home Guard in the kitchen during the war. She also talks about her early success as an actress in her teens, going to RADA, and how she met Peter O'Toole and used to sit up all night with him playing the guitar. She talks about playing Marlene Dietrich and Livia in I, Claudius. This is an evocative interview with a remarkable actress and person. Cue the music.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last Sunday, 18th January, was Winnie-the-Pooh Day. It was the birthday of its creator, the author A A Milne. And Winnie-the-Pooh, his most famous book, was first published 100 years ago, in January 1926. Pooh became one of the most beloved children's book of all time, selling millions of copies around the world, and making the Milne family extremely wealthy - but not entirely happy. In this episode, Gyles tells the story of Pooh, A.A. Milne, Christopher Robin, and of the complex and sometimes sad reality behind the stories. As you may know, Gyles published a brilliant book all about A. A. Milne and his family last year. Called Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear, it's published by Penguin Michael Joseph and is available here. This episode has some Gyles and Harriet chat (we find out about Harriet's own connection to the Milnes) and then it features a talk Gyles gave at the Henley Literature Festival, in front of a live audience, all about his book and A. A. Milne. We hope you enjoy this! Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube here. Join The Rosebud Family here. And visit our website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Baddiel joins Gyles this week to tell his unconventional family story. David paints a vivid picture of his childhood home in Dollis Hill, north-west London, and of the unusual people in it: his parents, and two brothers. His father, a frustrated scientist who ended up selling Dinky cars in an antiques market, was angry, disappointed, and hilarious. His mother was aspirational, cultured, with an extremely high sex drive. (This episode contains discussions of sex and relationships, and swear words, and is for 18+ listeners only). Their story is remarkable, sometimes funny, sometimes shocking, and, in the end, very moving.David's Channel 4 series, David Baddiel: Cat Man starts on Friday 16 January at 8pm. It's about David's love of cats, which started in childhood. His book, My Family is well worth reading, and is available here.Enjoy this! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another entertaining edition of Gyles's diaries for you, from 1972, in which: Gyles is upstaged by a man playing the spoons in Dorset, complains about some poor service in a restaurant, and has an upsetting encounter with Sir Michael Redgrave. We're joined by Michèle, Gyles's wife. Enjoy this! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dominic West, one of the talented British actors who has had success both at home and in Hollywood, is our guest today. His breakout role was in the cult U.S. gritty crime drama The Wire, in which he played the detective, Jimmy McNulty, so convincingly that many American viewers were shocked to find out he was a Brit. In this conversation, Dominic tells Gyles about his Yorkshire childhood: he is one of seven children and grew up on the moors just outside Sheffield. He reminisces about his parents, the brilliant way they coped with the logistics of having such a big family, and their talents outside the home. He talks about his schooldays; the intense homesickness he felt when he went to Eton, and his feelings of alienation and "grief" at finding himself down south and far from home. He talks about finding his feet at that school, through drama. He talks about going to Italy, Edinburgh and Paris. He tells Gyles about going to university in Dublin and about what he learnt at clown school. He talks about playing Fred West and how he approaches his work.Thank you Dominic for this warm and wise conversation.If you love Rosebud, you can join the Rosebud Family by visiting www.patreon.com/rosebud. It's £4.99 + VAT a month and you'll get ad-free episodes and bonus shows with Gyles and Harriet.Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's More Rosebud, and this episode is a conversation that took place at the Henley Literary Festival in 2025 between Gyles and Dame Joanna Lumley, about her Book of Treasures, which had then just been published. This conversation is about poetry, books and quotations that inspire Joanna. It's also about her childhood, and how moving about a lot made her curious, and optimistic. It's about Leonardo Di Caprio, Dame Patricia Routledge, Frank Sinatra and Sir John Betjeman. It's about the lowest point in Joanna's life, and about a moment of joy. Enjoy this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're starting 2026 with a remarkable person: an actress who is 100 years old, and still a bundle of enthusiasm, vibrancy and joy. It's Thelma Ruby, born in March 1925, and acting since the 1940s. In this episode she tells Gyles about her long and fascinating life: about her childhood in Leeds, in a religious Jewish family, where they couldn't poke the fire on the sabbath. About her formative years in New York City, where she was sent with her mother and brother to escape the bombing in WW2. About her return to England and work for ENSA, and her first love affair. About performing with Orson Wells, her famous portrayal of the first female prime minister of Israel, Golda Meir, and about her friendship with Dame Judi Dench. Thelma also tells Gyles her secrets for a long life, and talks about her one hundredth birthday party. If you love Rosebud and want more, why don't you join the Rosebud Family, our new subscription service? It's £4.99 a month and you'll get bonus episodes, murder mysteries, and you can join here. Enjoy this! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.