463: Colin Bell at the Oldie Literary Lunch

Oldie editor, Harry Mount, and supplements editor, Charlotte 'Fruity' Metcalf, discuss the latest issue of the magazine – and discuss the ingredients of the perfect article.

Charlotte Metcalf talks to the multiple-award winning writer Margaret Drabble about her books, her upbringing, her early life in theatre and her new book, The Great Good Places and discovers why she will never write another novel nor be publishing her long memoir during her lifetime.

John Humphrys loathes the pretence - and expense - of smart restaurants. Matthew Norman, former food critic, has spent some of his happiest moments in restaurants - but has never matched the pleasure of a Chinese meal in Willesden when he was six.Recorded at Yamaha Studios

Christopher Hampton is one of Britain’s most outstanding and prolific playwrights and screenwriters. Currently his Dangerous Liaisons is playing at the National Theatre, while his Atonement has its world premiere at Chichester Festival Theatre on 29th May and his The Truth opens at The Apollo Theatre in June. He talks to Charlotte Metcalf about his life in film and cinema and the characters he’s met along the way range from his legendary agent Peggy Ramsay and schoolfriend David Hare to David Lean, Stephen Frears, Sean Connery, Emma Thompson, Martin Scorsese and many many more.

Colin Bell speaking about his new book, Bloody Dangerous: Fifty missions over Germany: The last first-hand account from WW2, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on May 12th 2026.

Robert Hardman speaking about his new book, Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on May 12th 2026.

Hugo Vickers speaking about his new book, Queen Elizabeth II: A Personal History, at the Oldie Literary Lunch, held at London’s National Liberal Club, on May 12th 2026.He teased his fellow biographer Robert Hardman for being only three years old when Hugo first met the Queen in 1968. Robert may have met Donald Trump in the Oval Office but Hugo met the Queen in the Oak Room at Windsor Castle, to give her a copy of his book.

Charlotte Metcalf talks to Christine Dawood, whose book 96 Hours is published on 12th May. The book tells Christine’s harrowing story of losing her husband, Shahzada, and 19-year-old son, Suleman, when the Titan submersible imploded on an exploratory diving mission down to the Titanic in June 2023.  It intersperses her account of that agonising wait with vignettes from her happy, loving family life. Christina tells Charlotte about her grief, her book and her plans to create a healing centre for others who have suffered a devastating loss. 

Charlotte Metcalf talks to John Tusa, the distinguished journalist and arts administrator about his new podcast, The Best is Yet to Come, interviewing oldies in their nineties about their lives.  He also talks about own his life, from leaving Czechoslovakia on the brink of war to his life in London now.

John Humphrys, the former Today programme presenter, and Oldie columnist Matthew Norman mourn John's brother, Graham Humphrys, who has just died at 87. Matthew recalls the death of his parents in their late 80s - and how vital it was that they should die at home.