Petula Clark has been famous since she was a child, when she was discovered on a wartime BBC radio show, and she has been on the radio, film and television ever since. In this episode she talks to Gyles about her remarkable and long career, about what it was like to grow up as a child star and about her complex relationship with her father. She talks about finding fame in France, and about Downtown, Don't Sleep in the Subway and working with Fred Astaire. She talks about her mother's early death from tuberculosis, and the death last year of her husband, Claude Wolff. This is a fascinating, poignant and intriguing conversation with one of our most enduring stars.

Petula Clark's new book, "Is That You, Petula?" is out now and available here.

Thank you Petula for taking the time to talk to us at Rosebud. Cue the music.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The actor Samuel West is our guest today, and we recorded this episode earlier this month, not long before his mother, Prunella Scales's death on 27 October, and not long after his father, Timothy West's memorial service in London (Timothy West died in November 2024). In this conversation, Sam talks about his parents, Timothy West and Prunella Scales, and what it was like to grow up immersed in the theatrical world. Timothy was often away on tour, and Sam talks about missing him - but being inspired by his work ethic and by the life of the classical touring actor. He talks about his mother's talent and about her famous portrayal of Sybil Fawlty. He talks about his own university days, and how winning a bottle of champagne in a first year drama competition was a turning point. He talks about Stanislavsky and the craft of acting. And finally he talks about his parents' love of barge holidays, and the joy their TV barging brought to so many.

This episode is a celebration of a great theatrical family, and we're delighted and honoured that Sam recorded a Rosebud conversation with Gyles.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gyles speaks to the novelist and writer Sebastian Faulks, who tells him about his childhood growing up in Berkshire and his clear memories of being left at boarding school when he was seven. He talks about his rebellious streak, drawn out by rock and pop music, which manifested itself in periods of instability at school and university. He talks about the close friends he made at Cambridge, and going on University Challenge. He talks about writing his first novel and how he had his breakout moment. Sebastian's new book, a collection of autobiographical essays called 'Fires Which Burned Brightly: A Life in Progress' is out now, and available here.

Many thanks to Sebastian for coming to talk to us on Rosebud.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is Charles Spencer: the writer, broadcaster, and heir to the Spencer family title and estate at Althorp, where his sister, Diana, is buried. In this unmissable conversation, Charles talks to Gyles about his childhood, the breakdown of his parents' marriage, and his mother's sudden and shocking departure from the family home. He talks about his three sisters, and his close relationship with Diana. He talks about his schooldays, and in particular his harrowing experience at Maidwell Hall prep school - this episode does include Charles's account of the corporal punishment that took place there and his own experience of serious sexual abuse by a staff member. He talks about his happier time at Eton. And finally, he talks about the eulogy he gave at Diana's funeral and the extraordinary effect it had. This is a fascinating, unflinching, and deeply moving conversation. Many thanks to Earl Spencer for being our guest on Rosebud.

Charles Spencer's book, A Very Private School, is available here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A momentous time for the young GDB in this week's diaries, as he prepares to take his finals and to leave Oxford. The three years have flown by, as they do for all undergraduates - but Gyles has packed more in than most. And, despite the fact he's in the middle of his exams, he continues to do so this term. No sooner has the ink dried on his last history exam paper, he's off up to London to get his hair cut and appear as a talking head in a BBC election broadcast. All this, plus some vintage, and slightly hysterical, Gyles and Harriet chat. Enjoy this.

You can find Rosebud on Instagram @therosebudpodcast and our new Facebook group "Rosebud Reflections" is fun too.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir David Hare is one of the UK's most prolific and successful playwrights, and in this episode he talks to Gyles first about theatre, about great actors, and about the sensitivity necessary to writing drama; he also talks about his unusual childhood - his father was in the merchant navy and was rarely at home, his mother was resourceful and talented but also fearful and anxious. He talks about the teachers who helped inspire him to read and broaden his horizons. He talks about his relationship with the fashion designer Nicole Farhi, and about his new play Grace Pervades, which is about the Victorian actor Sir Henry Irving and his relationship with the great actress Ellen Terry. This is a wide-ranging conversation, bristling with honesty and self-awareness. Thank you Sir David for your time, energy and brilliant stories - we really were honoured to speak to you on Rosebud.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this long-awaited episode, Gyles (and Harriet) talk to the psychotherapist, writer and broadcaster Julia Samuel about bereavement. As regular Rosebud listeners will know, bereavement - whether in childhood or adulthood - is a recurring theme on the podcast, and we have received and shared many heartfelt and deeply moving emails from listeners who lost parents and family members when they were very young, and in difficult circumstances. We also know that we're listened to by lots of recent widows, and others who are grieving. This special episode is for you, and for anyone else who knows the pain of grief... which is probably most of us, let's be honest!

Julia Samuel is the founder of Child Bereavement UK, an experienced psychotherapist, and the writer of the best-selling book Grief Works (which is also an app and a podcast). She is one of the UK's foremost experts on bereavement and grief, the ways it affects us, and the ways we can heal and grow through it. In this long and fascinating conversation, she talks to Gyles about the importance of "jumping in the puddle" of grief, and not denying or ignoring it. She talks about the best ways to support someone who has lost a loved one. She talks about her own family history, and the way her family story, with its secrets and buried feelings, led her to work in this field. And the podcast ends with Julia talking to Harriet about her experience of the death of her mother, Patience, who took her own life when Harriet was 13. (This episode does contain references to suicide).

We would love to hear your thoughts and stories that arise from listening to this edition of Rosebud. Email us any time at [email protected] and Harriet will try her best to reply! You can also chat to fellow listeners on our Facebook page, Rosebud Reflections. Lots of people are sharing their stories on there.

Julia's book, Grief Works, is available here.

We're honoured to have Julia Samuel with us today. And we're honoured that you're listening to us. Cue the music...

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben Elton was instrumental in the transformation of British comedy that took place in the 1980s. His scripts for The Young Ones and Blackadder were fresh, anarchic, rude, clever and hilarious. The people that worked alongside Ben - Richard Curtis, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Rik Mayall, Ade Edmondson, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders - to name but a few - are legendary. In this episode of Rosebud, Ben talks to Gyles about his parents, his father's family story - they had escaped persecution in Germany at the start of the war - and how he became interested in comedy as a young boy. He talks about the process of writing Blackadder, which was sometimes tortuous, and what it felt like to be slated by the critics when We Will Rock You first opened in the West End.

Ben's autobiography, "What Have I Done?" is out now and available here.

Rosebud has a new website www.rosebudpodcast.co.uk and a new Facebook group - just search "Rosebud Reflections".

Enjoy this!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.