Historian Lucy Worsley takes a peek into the home life of Jane Austen

Curtain Up - our season of online celebrity talks - is back this weekend with another chance to see historian Lucy Worsley’s and this time she is presenting an illustrated talk of her book ‘Jane Austen at Home’Lucy paints a...

Joan Bakewell: preparing for the final chapter

Veteran broadcaster, author and journalist Joan Bakewell knows how the media works. It’s hardly surprising. At the age of 87 she has been a mover and shaker since the 1960s. She’s an outspoken campaigner for the rights of the...

Centenary of the ultimate magic trick - sawing a woman in half

I really enjoyed that curious showbusiness celebration last week where a variety of stage magicians marked the centenary of one of the most iconic magic tricks ever sawing a woman in half.For it was exactly 100 years ago,...

Desmond Tutu among religious leaders condemning gay conversion therapy

Archbishop Desmond Tutu is among hundreds of religious leaders from all over the world who are campaigning to ban the horrendous practice of gay conversion therapy. The Nobel prize winning Archbishop is among 370...

Lucy Worsley explores her Queen Victoria biography online

Our highly successful series of online talks - Curtain Up - continues at the weekend with historian Lucy Worsley taking a revealing look at the world of Queen Victoria.Like most people you probably have a fairly good idea...

How Rev. Richard Coles inspired a Bridget Jones character

There was some intriguing TV programming over the Christmas and New Year period with a noticeable emphasis on nostalgia. This should have come as no surprise. Looking back to more stable and entertaining times is completely...

Farewell to Albert Roux the chef who inspired Britain's taste for fine dining

We said a sad farewell to legendary Michelin starred chef Albert Roux who died last week leaving an extraordinary legacy. He was not only co-founder, with his late brother Michel, of the famous cooking dynasty behind...

Bishop Rose and the power of Ubuntu

It was encouraging to see that not only was Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin one of the guest editors for the Christmas/New Year editions of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme but she chose to focus on the huge benefits of practising South...

Explore the world of Queen Victoria with Lucy Worsley

Gyles Brandreth: It's new year, what better time to keep a diary?

It’s January - a new year - and for many that is all the impetus required to start a diary. After the year we’ve just had there is a sense that we are living through an era that will leave its mark on history. It is well worth...

Looking towards life after the pandemic

With an effective vaccine on the way it looks as though we could soon be making the first steps towards returning to something approaching normal life. We are not being naive and fully realise there is a way to go yet but at...

Tutu named Human Rights Global Treasure for campaign against apartheid

Wonderful news that Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been named Human Rights Global Treasure by the American based NGO article3.org The award, given for his courageous campaign against the apartheid regime in South Africa, comes 36...

Lucy Worsley to present 80th anniversary documentary on the Blitz

Our good friend the historian Lucy Worsley has a series of shows waiting in the wings for Clive Conway Productions next year.First however she will be fronting a major BBC TV documentary marking the 80th anniversary of The Blitz....

Berkoff on theatre and his love of jive

Veteran actor, writer, photographer, director and sometime speaker with Clive Conway Productions Steven Berkoff is offering a free DVD with every December order of his acclaimed book A World Elsewhere. Described as ‘part analysis...

Soprano Lesley Garrett singing the praises of Strictly

So Christmas has gone, new year beckons and finally it is behind us. No I’m not talking panto here I’m referring to Strictly Come Dancing which surely has to have been one of the great success stories of lockdown ( or at least...

How nonagenarian vaccine pioneer Martin Kenyon helped the young Tutu

We were intrigued to discover that Martin Kenyon, the 91-year-old who made headlines when he organised his own coronavirus vaccination, becoming one of the first people in the UK to get the jab, was more than just a...

How the theatre world is facing up to the toughest of challenges

As the pandemic appears to tighten its grip our brutally challenged theatres face another desperate challenge.With London and great swathes of the rest of our beleaguered country more or less locked down under Tier 4 restrictions...

Brilliant Bill wins Strictly and raises the bar for dad dancers everywhere

Mega congratulations to the extraordinary talent that is comedian Bill Bailey. Winning Strictly Come Dancing at the age of 55 and thereby becoming the oldest celebrity to ever lift the famed glitterball, has given hope to dad...

Just A Minute to continue with guest presenters

Nearly a year on from the death of the inimitable Nicholas Parson BBC Radio 4 has finally decided to continue its long-running panel gamer Just a Minute with tried and tested players of the game in the host’s chair. Already lined...

Institutional racism rife within the Westway Trust

Community charity The Westway Trust in North Kensington, has been branded “institutionally racist” in an independent review by the Tutu Foundation UK.Its damning findings highlight a culture of bullying, indifference and...

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