Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

It's 1977, and Gyles is welcoming his first daughter, Saethryd, into the world - and explaining the origins of her name to all his friends. "Why such an extraordinary name?" "Because she's an extraordinary girl!" He's also fighting on several fronts: with the noisy neighbours next-door, with the theatre company which is refusing to pay up, and with the National Theatre. Gyles and Harriet chat about diary-writing, self-loathing, and whether Gyles has mellowed over the years... Plus a bit of astrology. It's a good one, diary fans! Enjoy this.

Michael Feinstein, the pianist, singer and perhaps the greatest living interpreter of what is known as The Great American Songbook, is our guest today. He talks about his childhood, when his life was changed by his father's impulsive decision to buy a piano, which young Michael discovered he could play by ear. He talks about being an outsider, his belief in reincarnation, and his early enthusiasm for the classic songs of America's golden age. Michael talks about his deep friendship and working relationship with Ira Gershwin, and how that led him to meeting Rosemary Clooney, and later, Liza Minnelli. He talks about his relationship with Liza, and what makes it special - and what makes her such an electrifying performer.This is a truly fascinating edition of Rosebud - remarkable for its honesty, openness and tenderness. We close with Michael's beautiful rendition of "My Love Is Here To Stay" by George and Ira Gershwin, performed by Michael Feinstein. If you love music, emotion and conversation, you'll love this episode.Enjoy this.

Akshata Murty, entrepreneur, philanthropist and wife of the former Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, is our guest today. And it's particularly interesting to listen to this episode in light of the resignation of Keir Starmer yesterday (Monday 22 June 2026): what is it really like to be married to a prime minister? What are Akshata's memories of the day, in the pouring rain, that Rishi Sunak announced the fateful 2024 election? Did she feel she sacrificed her own life and career to make way for Rishi's ambitions? Plus, this episode opens with some topical chat from Gyles and Harriet - move over, Rest is Politics!But this episode is really about Akshata's own life and times - her unusual childhood, in which she was raised until the age of five by her maternal grandparents in a small, dusty town, eating mangoes straight from the tree, while her parents worked hard to build their company, Infosys. She talks of the pain and confusion of missing her parents, and of the conflicting emotions that brings up. Akshata talks about her parents' vision and commitment to giving back to India - to "compassionate capitalism" and philanthropy. She talks about moving to Bangalore, her school life and her first crush. She talks about college in California and meeting Rishi.This is an interesting, unexpected conversation. With many thanks to Akshata Murty. Enjoy this.

Our guest today is the hugely successful author of twisty, suspenseful, page-turning, gripping novels - such as Tell No One, Fool Me Once and Deal Breaker - Harlan Coben. Here, Harlan talks to Gyles about his childhood, spent in a very ordinary all-American town in New Jersey, which had secrets and rumours lurking beneath its cookie-cutter exterior. He talks about his family - his inspirational father who died too young, and his mother, who lied about her age and was a feminist and a wild-child. He talks about his grandfather's shady mafia dealings. He talks about falling in love, being at college with Dan Brown, and the poetry of Bruce Springsteen. Harlan also talks in depth and detail about his approach to writing. If you've loved any of Harlan's brilliant books or watched any of the thrilling Netflix adaptations of his work - you will find this fascinating. If you're not yet familiar with Harlan's work - you'll want to be after listening to this. What a charming, perceptive and wise person... Thank you Harlan for your time, energy and stories. Enjoy this.

It's 1976, and we have more hilarity, honesty, and social commentary from Gyles's diaries. In this episode he shares a stage with Bernard Manning and some go-go dancers, publishes a cheeky book about the Queen, and fires the nanny. Plus Gyles and Harriet chat about love at first sight and John Keats. Enjoy this!

We're in New York City, so we need glamour, class, poise, elegance, talent and wit; and we're pleased to say we've got them all... because our guest today is Christine Baranski. Star of The Gilded Age, The Good Wife, Sybil, Mama Mia and guest star in Big Bang Theory, Christine Baranski is a gifted actress with an impressive body of work across stage, television and film. In this brilliant and in-depth conversation with Gyles, she talks about her childhood in a close Polish family in Buffalo, New York, where she shared a bedroom with her theatrical and flamboyant grandmother, a formative influence. She talks about the death of her father when she was only nine years old, and the ways in which life changed following that devastating event. She talks about being a sexy Catholic schoolgirl. She talks about getting a place at the prestigious Juillard in New York, and about her early work in theatre. This is a fascinating, honest, moving and elegant conversation with a great star of the old school. We felt privileged to spend time with Christine Baranski, and we hope you will feel the same! Christine is in Hay Fever with Richard E Grant in London from September 2026. Tickets are available here. Enjoy this.

Graydon Carter, the celebrated magazine editor, is the second guest in our New York series. Carter edited Vanity Fair for 25 years and transformed the magazine into the must-read glossy for the intelligent, the curious and the culturally-savvy. He talks to Gyles about his vision for Vanity Fair and why it was such a success, about the four elements you need to put together a good story, and about the famous Oscars Party. He talks about Spy magazine, the celebrated satirical New York weekly he co-founded and ran prior to his job at Vanity Fair. He talks about his long-standing beef with Donald Trump, his love of clothes, and his childhood in Ottawa. And, along the way, he teases Gyles for his "novelty knits" - which you'll enjoy listening to! This is a witty, perceptive, sharp and fascinating interview with a man who has been at the heart of American cultural life for half a century. Graydon's book When the Going Was Good is available here and is highly recommended. Our thanks to Graydon for his time, energy and fabulous stories.

Leading up to the 250th anniversary of American independence, Rosebud is giving you a series of interviews recorded in New York City. Our first is with the sharpest observer of New York life - the wit, conversationalist and writer, Fran Lebowitz. In this brilliant interview, Fran tells Gyles about her family, who moved to the US from Russia and Eastern Europe to escape the Jewish pogroms. She talks about her happy childhood, cycling on her "freedom machine" around her pretty hometown in New Jersey, where her father owned an upholstery business and her mother had aspirations to be Fred Astaire's dance partner. She tells Gyles about being punished for being a chatterbox at school, about knowing she was gay from a young age, and about moving to New York to become a writer. She talks about Andy Warhol and being paid to write porn. She talks about smoking, the internet, and her enormous collection of books. Finally, Gyles awards Fran a medal from the Oscar Wilde Society, in recognition of her brilliance as a talker. As you might expect, this is a fabulous conversation. It's well worth your time. Enjoy this.

We're entering the long, hot summer of 1976, and Gyles is moving into a big, new house with his young family and still forging ahead in his life and career. He is embarking on a second Oxford Theatre Festival, with his friend Noel Davis (who likes the start and end the working day with a stiff drink, and have a couple more over lunch); he is celebrating Michele's birthday in style at the Ritz, and he is attempting to break the record for the longest after-dinner speech. It's another action-packed year, diary fans!