Автор: elenakolupaeva

Great British Houses: The Anglophile’s Guide to Britain’s Stately Homes is a comprehensive and fascinating guide to some of the most magnificent and historically significant houses in Britain. This book takes you on a journey through the grandest and most elegant homes, castles, and manors in Britain, and provides you with a wealth of information about their history, culture, and architectural significance.

In this book, you can explore the grandeur of houses like Highclere Castle, the setting for the popular TV series Downton Abbey, or the stunning Blenheim Palace, which was the birthplace of Winston Churchill. You can also discover the majestic beauty of Chatsworth House, which was used as the setting for Pemberley in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, and the imposing Castle Howard, which was featured in the classic TV drama Brideshead Revisited. This is just a sampling of the fifty houses in this book, each with a detailed and fascinating history. Each chapter features black and white pictures of the house (and every house has at least one picture).

This book is not only a guide to the finest stately homes in Britain, but also a fascinating insight into the history and culture of the country and a chronicle of the British aristocracy. It provides practical information on how to visit these magnificent houses, as well as a wealth of interesting facts and anecdotes about the houses and their owners, as well as their appearances in movies and TV shows.

Whether you are a history buff, an architecture enthusiast, or simply an Anglophile with a love for all things British, Great British Houses: The Anglophile’s Guide to Britain’s Stately Homes is an essential guide that will take you on a journey through some of the most breathtaking and historic homes in Britain.

A Land Rover Defender first used by the Duke of Edinburgh is heading to auction this weekend.

The Defender was registered in 2010 and used by Prince Philip after being built to his individual specification. This included being painted in the rare color of Keswick Green and finished with a black cloth interior. Heated seats and Land Rover seat covers were also fitted.

The Defender 110 County has covered just 15,623 miles and is being sold from a “significant private collection of special motor vehicles,” according to Silverstone Auctions, which is selling the Land Rover and describes it as being in a “gleaming” condition.

Accompanying the sale is a history file containing letters between George Hassall, director of royal and diplomatic affairs at Jaguar Land Rover, to David Key, head chauffeur to the Duke of Edinburgh.

While in royal possession, the Defender is believed to have been assigned the duke’s personal registration number of OXR 2.

It was sold by online auction site Collecting Cars in June 2022 for £44,000 and is now being sold by Silverstone Auctions on Saturday February 25 at its Race Retro sale at Stoneleigh Park, near Coventry, with a guide price of £50,000 to £70,000.

Other royal-related cars are also being auctioned, including a 2013 Bentley Mulsanne that was used for royal household duties, as well as a 1942 Ford GPW Jeep that was used by King George VI on a wartime visit to RAF Chelveston that same year.

Philip, who died in April 2021, had a strong connection with Land Rover, using green Freelanders for several years.

He also designed his own specially modified Defender to carry his coffin.

Classic FM host John Suchet highlighted music as the “greatest therapy” when it comes to helping people with dementia after being made an OBE at Buckingham Palace.

Suchet lost his first wife, Bonnie, to dementia in 2015 and is now an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society.

He was a journalist for 40 years – starting at Reuters before moving to ITN and becoming a newscaster in 1987, where he stayed until he retired in 2004.

In 2010, he joined the line-up of Classic FM as the new host of its Sunday afternoon program. Last year, he stepped down from hosting a regular weekday show after 12 years and now hosts special programs.

He said he has a “lifelong passion” for classical music – Beethoven in particular.

Suchet was made an OBE for services to journalism and charity on Friday and attended the ceremony with his wife, Nula.

Of his charity work, Suchet told the PA news agency: “The background is that I lost my wife to dementia, and Nula lost her husband (James) to dementia. We met when they were both in the same care home.”

Asked if he thought there was any overlap between his music and charity work, he said: “In the sense that music of any kind is something that does seem always to get through to people with dementia.

“James was an absolute Mozart fanatic and she (Nula) would play him Mozart to calm him.”

He continued: “Bonnie … loved Abba. I would play Abba into her headphones and she would sit back in her chair with her eyes closed and tap her feet. She was content.

“With dementia, when words no longer work, music does.”

He added: “It doesn’t cure anything, it just leads to contentment.

“Music is the greatest therapy of all.”

The former journalist wrote a book about losing his wife called My Bonnie: How Dementia Stole The Love Of My Life.

Of his marriage to Nula, Suchet told PA: “No-one would be more pleased than James and Bonnie.”

He continued: “We were able to talk to each other in a way that you can’t talk to anyone else who hasn’t experienced what you’re experiencing.

“Dementia is the cruelest disease in the world because you slowly lose the person you love and you can’t talk to them.”

His hope, as ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society, is to support scientists to find a cure.

“You pick up the papers today, almost every day of the week, there is another study on how to avoid dementia,” Suchet said.

“One theory after another – there is no proof that any of them work. You have got to leave it to the scientists.

“Keep supporting the people who are doing the research and let’s hope sooner or later they can get to the bottom of it and find what it is that causes that to the body and prevent it happening.”

Suchet called it an “amazing honor” to be made an OBE.

David Nabarro, special envoy on Covid-19 at the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Chi-chi Nwanoku, the founder of the first professional orchestra in Europe to be made up of a majority of black and minority ethnic musicians, were also honored at Buckingham Palace on Friday.

Sir David was awarded a knighthood, while Ms. Nwanoku became a CBE.

Asked for his take on the UK government’s handling of the pandemic, Mr Nabarro said: “When I’m asked to comment on history in any government, in any country, my position at the moment is to be cautious about judgement. I have no authority to judge. There are inquiries being set up, let them do the judging.

“But I do want each government to learn and apply the learning. For me the biggest lesson of all when you have got something like Covid – the virus is the problem, people are the solution.”

Kim Little, the captain of Arsenal women’s football team, was made an MBE.

She told PA that there has been “a significant increase” in public interest in women’s football after England’s Euro 2022 victory.

Team GB wheelchair basketball player Ghazain Choudhry and celebrity hairstylist Samuel McKnight, who worked with Princess Diana for seven years, were also honored, both being made MBEs.

‘Only fools and horses work for a living’ was the obscure expression the working-class writer John Sullivan chose for the title. His sitcom follows the ups and downs of an illegal street trader, Del Boy, his younger brother, and Grandad, as they attempt to escape from both poverty and class, a hopeless task on both counts, although, in the end, wealth proves easier to achieve than entry in the higher classes of English society. Del’s many ‘get rich quick’ schemes provide endless comic opportunities, and Sullivan’s finely observed characters grow and evolve as the seasons flow by, with the ups and downs of real life, seen through a satirical and comic lens.

Key Facts:

• Six seasons shown, between 1981 and 1999, plus specials
• Starred David Jason as Derek’ Del Boy’ Trotter, Nicholas Lyndhurst as Rodney Trotter, and Lennard Pierce as Grandad
• Voted Britain’s Best Sitcom in 2004
• Written by John Sullivan, who grew up in working-class Balham
• Developed a strong cult following and contributed to English slang

A Short History

Although locked into a complex class structure, the British are still able to laugh equally at the foibles of all its social groups. Shows like ‘Steptoe & Son’ and ‘Till Death us do Part’ in the 1960s aimed at the working class, while the later ‘Spitting Image’ skewered Royalty with a sharp spear. The foibles of the working class, though, have always been a rich source for comedy writers, and the appeal of the social faux pas for comic effect is always tempting. The bustling street markets of London, and the eccentricities of the street trader, were the inspiration for Only Fools and Horses, a TV comedy series that ran throughout the 1980s and that was voted ‘Britain’s Best Sitcom’ in 2004.

Only Fools and Horses follows the daily life of market trader Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter, his younger brother Rodney, and their Grandad, as they struggle to find the wealth to escape their life in Peckham, a working-class neighborhood of south-east London. They live in a council flat (state-provided and owned apartment) in Nelson Mandala House, a grim high-rise apartment building, and ever since their mother died when the boys were young, and their father left shortly afterward, Derek has been the family head and provider, surviving by buying and selling odd items that may have ‘fallen off the back of a truck’ or have come his way under other doubtful circumstances. His goal is to become a millionaire with some dubious scheme or other, and these plans – always unsuccessful – form the basis of the plots, which usually occupy a single episode. Only later in the series did longer story arcs begin, and a broader picture of their lives and surrounding society emerged. By the end of the series, a viewer has gained a rich picture of the backstories of the characters, and this ‘epic novel’ character of the show is a secondary strength to its immediate comedy.

The accuracy of the characters is guaranteed since the writer, John Sullivan, grew up in Balham, another south London working-class area. His father was a plumber, and he remembers always being fascinated by the bottom end of the street market scene and particularly the men variously called: ‘spivs’; ‘fly traders’ (because they traded ‘on the fly’ to dodge the authorities); or, later, ‘readies’ (ready for anything). Often selling out of suitcases they opened on the street, these characters were Sullivan’s inspiration for Derek Trotter. Sullivan had left school unqualified and eked out a living as a young man in a variety of unskilled jobs, from messenger boy to window cleaner and carpet layer. He persisted in submitting scripts to the BBC, finding his first success with Citizen Smith, and then being commissioned to create Only Fools and Horses.

The show was first aired on the 8th of September 1981, and the first season ran for six episodes, each of 30 minutes. Further seasons, usually also of 6 episodes, ran in 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1989, and 1990. In addition, almost every year, there was a Christmas Special episode, and in 1996 three one-hour episodes ran as a Christmas Trilogy. Each Christmas Day of 2001, 2002, and 2003, additional 75 minutes specials were shown. As well, there were a variety of sketches, promotional pieces, and other shorts created between 1992 and 2015.

The story arc follows ‘Del Boy’ (played by David Jason) in his cheap gold jewelry and camel coat as he strives to become rich, eventually achieving that and then losing most of it again. His business, Trotters Independent Traders (T.I.T.), operates out of a suitcase or from the back of his yellow three-wheel van. By the end of the series, he has begun to emulate the richer ‘yuppies’ who are gentrifying his neighborhood. After a succession of failed relationships, he eventually meets his ‘significant other’ in a late episode. Rodney typifies the working-class man who struggles to present himself as ‘classier’ – an effort always doomed to failure in a society with an acute ear for the subtle cues of class. He affects knowledge he lacks, in particular by attempting to use basic French, but always wrongly. When on holiday in Spain (a stereotypical working-class destination), he takes a ‘fiesta’ after lunch. Much of the humor in the series lies in the knowing way an English person will see through these ultimately pathetic attempts to be what he is not.

Rodney (played by Nicholas Lyndhurst) struggles to free himself from Derek’s control, and looks scornfully at the shady ways Derek tries to become rich. Rodney did well in school but was expelled from Art College for smoking cannabis, and now struggles to become independent. He finds himself a middle-class girlfriend, Cassandra (played by Gwyneth Strong), who lives on the fashionable King’s Road. Even though he lies about his background, she takes to him, and their relationship and marriage continue through the later seasons.

The foil to the younger generations is Grandad (played by Lennard Pierce), who is a stereotypical infirm ‘OAP’ – old age pensioner – who watches TV all day and is generally abused and derided by his grandchildren. When Pierce died in 1984 Grandad was buried, and his place taken by Uncle Albert (played by Buster Merryfield), who can always be relied upon for a story that begins, “During the war. . .” When Merryfield died in 1999, his character also died, and his ashes were scattered in the English Channel.

By the sixth series the writer wanted Del Boy to give up chasing younger girls and settled down, so he created Racquel (played by Tessa Peake-Jones), a woman Del meets through a dating agency. Kind-hearted like Del, but also a failure, she has tried to be an actress but more often works as a stripagram. By the end of the series, they are still not married, although Del seems interested in settling down.

Minor characters in the series include Trigger (Roger Lloyd-Pack and Lewis Osborne), who is a street sweeper and not too bright. He is a regular at the local pub, the Nags Head, and his father, “Died a few years before he was born.” Boycie (John Challis) is a successful used-car salesman, and the richest man at the Nag’s Head, while Denzil (Paul Barber) is a long-distance lorry driver and regular victim of Del’s get-rich schemes. The crooked policeman, DCI Slater (Jim Broadbent), only appears in three episodes, but is a regular presence in the background of the series.

Cultural Impact

Initial viewing figures for the show were well below 10 million, but by the end of the third series, that barrier had been broken, and it eventually peaked at 24.3 million for the third episode of the 1996 Christmas trilogy – over 40% of the national population at the time. After it was voted Britain’s Best Sitcom in 2004, several ‘Story of. . .’ documentaries were produced. Two spin-off series, The Green, Green Grass and Rock & Chips were produced in the early 21st century, and a stage-play version was launched in February 2019 at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, London. Two board games based on the show were also created. The show has also won numerous popularity awards, and it ranks high in polls of the greatest TV shows ever.

The show has been viewed internationally, with particular interest in the countries of the former Yugoslavia, where the show is called Mućke, meaning ‘shady deals.’ It was remade in The Netherlands as Wat schuift’t? (What’s it worth?), and in Portugal and Slovenia. Several attempts to launch a US remake have been made, only to be rejected in their final stages.

The ‘Only Fools and Horses Appreciation Society’ was launched in 1993, with around 7,000 members. It releases a quarterly newsletter, and it has annual conventions of fans and cast members. It also stages Shows featuring props from the show, such as the yellow van.

Several of the tag lines from the series have entered everyday speech in England, such as ‘Plonker’ (a fool or idiot), ‘Cushty’ (good, delightful), and ‘Lovely jubbly.’ The show has reinforced cultural stereotypes of working-class people and habits, as well as disarming them by turning those elements into comedy memes.

Places to Visit

• London still has many street markets, but most have been gentrified in various ways, and may give only a limited picture of the flavor of traditional markets.
• Deptford Market is near ‘Del territory,’ and this basic market of food and cheap goods runs from 7 am to 4 pm, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, on Deptford High Street.
• Brick Lane Market is held on Sundays from 9 am to 5 pm, and it has a range of goods. This traditional east-end market has gone upscale to a degree, and today incorporates the nearby Truman Market.
• Petticoat Lane Market operates every weekday, and Sunday mornings. It is primarily a clothing market, with much of the old atmosphere. It is situated in Spitalfields, near Aldgate Tube Station. A Sunday visit could include the nearby Columbia Road Flower Market.
• Although set in Peckham, most of the show, and all the later series, were filmed in Bristol. Several small companies offer tours of outdoor locations.
• Tower blocks in the UK have gone from being desirable council housing when first built in the 1950s, to scenes of social decay, and back to desirable housing again, today in private hands. Towers such as Trellick Tower (Kensal Town), Keeling House (Bethnal Green), Sivill House (Shoreditch) and The Barbican Estate (City of London) are admired and desirable homes for young professionals in particular. Many are iconic, listed buildings, and examples of British brutalist architecture. A visit is a reminder that there is more to Britain than ancient buildings and museums.

Where to Watch

• Complete collections of all the series of ‘Only Fools and Horses’ are available on DVD.
• Netflix is currently not steaming the series, but it is available on Britbox.
• All episodes of the show are available for download purchase on iTunes.

Further Research

• “The Only Fools and Horses Story, by Steve Clark, 1996
• “The Complete A-Z of Only Fools and Horses, by Richard Weber, 2003
• The Bible of Peckham. a three-volume edition of all the scripts, 2017
• He Who Dares…, by Jim Sullivan, a fictional autobiography of Derek Trotter, 2015
• You Know It Makes Sense, Lessons from The Derek Trotter School of Business (And Life), by Jim Sullivan, 2018
• The People: The Rise and Fall of the Working Class, 1910-2010, by Selina Todd
• The Myth of Meritocracy: Why Working-Class Kids Still Get Working-Class Jobs, by James Bloodworth

“Once in every lifetime, comes a lot like this….” The Young Ones is one of those seminal British comedy series. Coming at a time when young, alternative comedians were on the rise, four such young men, including Nigel Planer, Rik Mayall, Alexei Sayle, and Adrian Edmondson, banded together with actor Christopher Ryan to craft a sitcom like no other. Following the traditional format but filled with violent slapstick, non-sequiturs, and even musical guests, the Young Ones proved a hit with real young people all over the United Kingdom. It also proved to be a helpful vehicle for several of the group’s alternative comedy colleagues. Join us for a tour off the cliff of fascinating facts about one of the best comedy shows on British TV.

I Know that Face

As mentioned, the Young Ones also featured many up-and-coming alternative comics and actors, as well as some of the group’s own comedy heroes. Just a few names guest-starring in the series include Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson, Robbie Coltrane, Mel Smith, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Ben Elton, and Tony Robinson. Some of them would go on to produce their own highly regarded comedy shows, such as A Bit of Fry and Laurie, Blackadder, and Absolutely Fabulous.

Our Wives and Co-Creators—May They Never Meet!

Rik Mayall co-created the Young Ones with his then-girlfriend, Lise Meyer. Adrian Edmondson also had his girlfriend, Jennifer Saunders, in two different roles on the show before they married in 1985.

Cue the Music!

If you ever wondered why musical acts such as Madness, Motorhead, and Dexy’s Midnight Runners showed up on the program, it all had to do with the budget. The BBC was desperate to get the group signed to a deal before Channel 4, so they offered them a sitcom—despite not having any more money in the budget for sitcoms. Instead, the Young Ones was classified as “light entertainment”, similar to variety shows.

Mane Man

And speaking of the light entertainment budget, if you ever wondered why Mike opens the door to a lion tamer in his bedroom, it’s because the man had to be hired as a guest to keep the show’s budget.

This is Madness

The ska band Madness actually makes two appearances on the show, playing their songs “House of Fun” and “Our House”. They even interact a little with the group, such as when Rick requests Cliff Richard’s “Summer Holiday” only to be threatened by the frontman Suggs. The reason for this was the BBC was considering giving the group their own sitcom, ala The Monkees, but it never came to be.

CLIFF!

The title of the series comes from the song of the same name by Cliff Richard. Rik Mayall himself was a huge Richard fan, a trait shared by his character, Rick. Several other references are also made to the single, including the series finale’s literal cliffhanger. While the show was in production, Cliff Richard made the music video for his song “Living Doll” and included the group as their characters.

Doctor Who?

Alexei Sayle and Christopher Ryan have both made appearances on Doctor Who in the 1980s. Ryan would later return as another Sontaran when the show was revived in 2005.

Doctor Who Again?

Colin Baker was supposed to make an appearance in one episode as the evil Count Dustbag, but his scene was cut from the final product.

Forget It, He’s Rolling

Alexei Sayle was certainly an interesting case when it came to the show. In addition to playing all members of the Balowski family, he pretty much ad-libbed all his appearances. Sayle didn’t rehearse with the others, so oftentimes, the script would just say “Alexei does his bit,” and the other actors would literally have no idea what he was going to do until it happened. Sayle himself isn’t terribly fond of the show’s best-known episode, Bambi, because he saw Laurie, Elton, Fry, and Thompson as the sort of college-educated twits they were mocking.

One Name Only

Every episode title is only one word, except for the series finale “Summer Holiday.”

The lives of the upper class are an endless source of fascination, and when revealed by P.G. Wodehouse, they are subjected to satire ranging from gentle to devastating. Portrayed as entirely dependent on their valets and servants, the ‘gentleman’s gentleman’ is always supremely competent, no matter the chaos their ‘betters’ create. Skilfully adapted by Clive Exton to retain the style and feel of the original ‘Jeeves’ stories, the comedy duo Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurieknew they had to take the parts when they were offered to them. Their comedy skills proved perfect for the buffoonery of the characters.

Key Facts:

• Based on the ‘Jeeves’ stories written by P.G. Wodehouse
• Satirized the lives of the ‘idle rich’
• 23 episodes in four seasons from 1990 to 1993
• Jeeves and Bertie were played by Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie
• Filmed at several real stately homes

Attitudes towards the British upper class have often revolved around a fundamental contradiction. How can someone competent to control the lives of millions be unable to change a lightbulb? This joke could be, as Freud said, a way of letting out feelings that deference to society prohibits. Or, as the upper class would reply, a failure to accept an appropriate hierarchy of abilities. Practical affairs are simply not important, and anyway, doesn’t everyone have a ‘gentleman’s gentleman’ to handle life’s problems with tact and skill? Bertram Wilberforce Wooster certainly did, in the shape of his valet – Reginald Jeeves. Today more likely to be described as a ‘personal assistant’, a suitable valet was considered essential to a smooth life, free of the petty tribulations that daily consume the energy of lesser mortals.

In 23 fifty-minute episodes over four seasons, aired originally between 1990 and 1993, the comedy team ‘Fry and Laurie’ gave life to these archetypal characters, in the show Jeeves and Wooster. They found humor in the incompetence of the upper class, and soothingly reinforced the belief that they only survive because of the quiet skills of their servants – ‘us.’ The characters were already well known, the creation of the writer P.G. Wodehouse. He became a successful author in large part by satirizing and poking fun at the arcane class system and the juvenile antics of the idle rich. Brought up himself by an English Nanny, educated at a top ‘public’ school (Dulwich College), he knew what he was talking about when he held up his fellows to the harsh light of comedy, satirizing their need for a skilled handler to prevent them making too much of a mess of their pampered lives. Wodehouse divided his life between America and the UK, writing Broadway shows, novels, short stories, and film scripts. But he is today mostly remembered for the 18 novels and short stories he wrote about Jeeves and Wooster.

The actors Hugh Laurie, who played Bertie Wooster, and Stephen Fry, who played Jeeves, were already well-known as comedians, and Laurie had been enamored of the ‘Jeeves’ stories since he was thirteen. When they were approached by the show’s producers, Carnival Films and Granada Television (ITV), they at first dismissed the idea of turning Wodehouse into television. Realizing that the show would be made with or without them, they relented, and Laurie recounted later how honored he felt to have the opportunity to embody his literary hero. Their well-honed comedy timing became a central element in the success of the show.

Much of the strength of the show comes from its fidelity to the original stories, which form the basis for most of the episodes. The script writer Clive Exton has already proven his ability with his adaptions of Agatha Christie’s Poirotseries, and Wodehouse was in safe hands. While Exton stayed true to the spirit of Wodehouse, he did not simply copy the stories. Instead, he wove his scripts out of two or three originals at a time, creating new stories that were perfect for the already-skilled double act of ‘Fry and Laurie.’

Many of the stories center on Wooster’s attempts to hold on to his confirmed bachelor status against the attempts of his Aunt Agatha, Lady Worplesdon. Often called his ‘fearsome aunt,’ Agatha was played by the well-known Mary Wimbush in the first three series, before she was replaced by Elizabeth Spriggs in season 4. It is always Jeeves who comes to Bertie’s rescue, finding ways to thwart Aunt Agatha’s matchmaking. The character of the relentless Agatha is in sharp contrast to that of her benign, sister, Aunt Dahlia, who is greatly loved by Bertie. She owns the weekly newspaper Milady’s Boudoir, a spoof on the very real The Lady, in print since 1885, and the only place to find suitable servants and staff.

Other recurring characters include Madeline Bassett, daughter of Sir Watkyn Bassett, and Bertie’s on-and-off fiancée. Played by several actors over the years, she is the British upper-class equivalent of the ‘dumb blond’. Sentimental, a reader of Winnie-the-Pooh, and seeking love, she is also sometimes engaged to Augustus Fink-Nottle (‘Gussie’), Bertie’s newt-loving friend. Gussie today might be compared to Jacob Rees-Mogg, MP. He was played by Richard Garnett in the first two seasons and then by Richard Braine. Bertie has another regular friend, Hildebrand Glossop (‘Tuppy’), played by Robert Daws, and they all spend time at the Drones Club, an aptly titled parody of the numerous private clubs in London. The Drones Club is set on the very real Dover Street, in Mayfair, where many of these clubs can be found.

Like all respectable members of the upper class, Bertie has access to numerous country homes, staying perhaps at Twing Hall or Brinkley Court, taking the sea air at Westcombe-on-Sea, or staying in a cottage in Chufnell Regis. He is even, in one episode, forced to appear among the youth of the middle class after he is persuaded to hand out the prizes at Market Snodsbury Grammar School. Lovers of English place names will recognize potential real-life equivalents for all these fictional locations, perhaps only matched by Dicken’s for their cleverness.

The Jeeves and Wooster stories are set in a timeless world that is based on the period between the two world wars, but nobody ages and real-world events are rarely mentioned. This floating timeline device suspends the action in an idealized version of history, creating an unreal, nostalgic past that is a large part of the appeal of England to visitors and overseas fans. Viewers can safely escape into this fantasy world, enjoying its connection to real places and recognizable archetypes of the English character.

Music plays a large part in the show, from the theme tune created by the Oscar-winning composer Anne Dudley, to the musical interludes, where Bertie and Jeeves perform popular numbers from the 1920s and 30s. Dudley’s theme music was written in the Swing music style, and she cleverly re-uses it throughout the show, in different moods, as the background score. The musical performances by Bertie can only be described as ‘tortured’, but with the confidence bred into his class, he is convinced of their splendor.

Cultural Impact

Jeeves and Wooster continues to be popular, partly for the quality of its production and acting, and partly for the continuing fascination with the lives of the British upper class, particularly in North America.

Awards:

• Eileen Diss, British Academy Television Award for Best Design, Series 3
• Derek W. Hayes, British Academy Television Award for Best Graphics, series 4
• Dany Everett, a British Academy Television Award for Best Costume Design
• Anne Dudley, British Academy Television Award for Best Original Television Music

Nominations:

• British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series 

Places to Visit

Berkeley Mansions, Bertie’s London flat, is in Mayfair, but the exteriors were performed by 2 Mansfield Street, Marylebone.

Totleigh Towers, home of Madeline Bassett, is played by Highclere Castle, Highclere, Hampshire. It is open for visitors on select dates in the spring and summer. It is the home of the Earl of Carnarvon, and the grounds were landscaped by Capability Brown.

Brinkley Court, home of Aunt Dahlia, is played for its interior scenes by Wrotham Park, Barnet, Hertfordshire. In the Palladian style, the house dates from the 18^th century. It is not open to visitors, but it can be booked for private events, including wedding receptions and parties.

Exteriors for the early series were filmed at Barnsley Park, Barnsley, Gloucestershire. Set in the beautiful Cotswolds, there are several cottages on the estate that can be rented for short visits. For season 4, Brinkley Court exteriors were filmed at Hall Barn, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. That house has been used extensively for film and TV productions, including Downton Abbey and Chariots of Fire. The house dates from the 17^th century, but it has been extensively remodeled since then. The house and grounds are not normally open to visitors.

Westcombe-on-Sea, the fictional seaside town, was filmed in Sidmouth, Devon, at the ‘Victoria Hotel’ and the ‘Hotel Riviera’.

Chuffnell Regis, the village where Bertie stayed, was filmed in Clovelly, Devon.

Several National Trust properties across England have well-preserved servant’s quarters, which give a taste of the real life of Jeeves and his fellow workers. Berrington Hall, Herefordshire, is notable for these features, as also are Lanhydrock and Castle Drogo, both in Devon.

Where to Watch

• All four seasons can be found individually, and in collections, on DVD
• It is not currently streaming anywhere (which is a real shame!)
• The music of the show can be purchased on CD or on Apple Music

Just northeast of Greater London, it should be little surprise that the county of Essex has plenty of connections to royalty.  For hundreds of years, members of the Royal Family have made their homes in Essex when they needed an escape from the city.  From the Norman invasion through the present day, you can find royal connections in many parts of Essex.  We’ve outlined five different places across the county where you can experience some royal history, and since this is not an exhaustive list, you can share some other Essex royal connections with us in the comments.

Hadleigh Castle

Hadleigh Castle today is little more than a pile of ruins that overlooks the Thames Estuary near the Town of Hadleigh.  Hubert de Burgh built it after 1215 AD, but King Henry III had him imprisoned and stripped the castle from him, making it Crown property.  Kings Edward II and Edward III made further improvements to the castle, but it fell out of favor with their descendants, and it started being broken up during the 16^th Century, leading to its current condition today.  What remains is a Grade I listed monument. 

Palace of Beaulieu

Another great building that has since fallen into ruin, the Palace of Beaulieu, had a history that goes back to the 11th Century when it was part of the grounds of Waltham Abbey.  The monks of the Abbey eventually sold it, and a house called New Hall was constructed on the site.  Eventually, New Hall came into the possession of Thomas Boleyn, who sold it to his future son-in-law, King Henry VIII.  It was at the Palace of Beaulieu that Henry cooked up his plan to get an annulment from Catherine of Aragon while cohabitating with his future queen, Anne Boleyn.  Henry’s daughter, Queen Elizabeth I, eventually sold the house.  By the 18th Century, it was in heavy disrepair, and the owners did much to rebuild the north wing, which is currently occupied by New Hall School.

Audley End House

Queen Elizabeth I also has ties to our next entry, Audley End House.  Prior to Elizabeth’s involvement, the land on which the estate sat was seized by her father, King Henry VIII, and granted to Sir Thomas Audley, who constructed the house shortly thereafter.  This gracious estate in Saffron Walden was an important stop on the queen’s Summer Progress in 1578.  The progress was not only Elizabeth’s chance to get out into the country but for visiting scholars from Cambridge University to engage in educational debates and draft exciting new papers.  King Charles II bought the house after the Restoration, and eventually, it came into possession of English Heritage. 

Queen Elizabeth I Hunting Lodge

The name is possibly a misnomer, considering it was King Henry VIII who commissioned the hunting lodge in 1542.  Elizabeth had the building enlarged to its current three-story size in 1589.  Today the home is owned and operated by the City of London Corporation and operates as a free museum.  Visitors to the hunting lodge can learn more about Tudor food in the completely reconstructed kitchen, how the hunting lodge was constructed, and get a breathtaking view of Epping Forest from the third floor. 

Hedingham Castle

Hedingham Castle is a fine example of the castle construction that took place following King William I’s invasion in 1066.  King William granted Hedingham Manor to Aubrey de Vere in 1086, and construction on the castle took place well into the 1140s.  King Stephen’s wife Matilda died at Hedingham Castle in 1152, and it was later involved in the Baron’s War against King John.  Today, the Lindsey family owns the property, and it remains a private home for them, though the original Norman keep is available to tour from April to October, and the grounds often play host to reenactments and fairs. 

Two years ago, Paul McCartney released a book of lyrics to and the stories behind 154 of his songs. And while he was working on the book, Macca discussed many of the songs with Paul Muldoon, in preparation for the forward he would write to the book. Fortunately, Muldoon had the good sense to record these meetings.

Quoth Muldoon, “When we listened back to the tapes, we realized there was something very special happening in these conversations.” He also added that they constituted a sort of oral history of popular music. Or, indeed, the often-requested, but always-rejected autobiography people always wanted Macca to write. He says that, if they’re not tied directly to his life, they’re often tied to vivid memories of Paul’s.

And now, Macca and Muldoon are working on releasing those tapes to the world. They figured that the best way to do so is in podcast form.

It feels like everyone has a podcast these days with as many podcasts as TV shows (even Anglotopia has a podcast, but it’s currently on hiatus!).  Of course, this only means that there are tons of great podcasts to cater to every interest.  From comedy to news to the entertainment industry itself, we’ve collected ten different podcasts that we think you ought to try.  Filled with well-known names and important topics, we’re sure that one of these will meet your infotainment needs.  If you have a favorite British podcast that you’d like to share, you can put that in the comments. 

Everyone has their preferred way to listen to podcasts, so we won’t provide links here – all of these are finable on your preferred podcast app.

The Rest is History

Definitely a podcast for the history buffs, The Rest is History features Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook mixing the thorough analysis of professors with the humor of schoolboys.  They have over 300 episodes and focus primarily on English history.

Off Menu

Nothing quite hits your funny bone like podcasts hosted by comedians.  Ed Gamble and James Acaster team up to discuss one of their favorite subjects—food.  The theme of the podcast is that the hosts bring in a celebrity guest and Acaster’s genie waiter serves their favorite meal.  Guests have included everyone from their fellow comedians to movie stars like Kumail Nanjiani. 

The News Agents

If you haven’t got time to go through all the news of the day, The News Agents, will help break it down for you.  Hosted by Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopol, and Lewis Goodall, they take an analytical and sometimes skeptical look at the day’s events.  The new episodes hit every afternoon so you can catch up if your morning is too hectic. 

Hip Hop Saved My Life

Hip Hop Saved My Life is a music podcast with a twist for fans of classic hip hop.  Hosted by Romesh Ranganathan, he brings on guests to discuss their favorite songs, tell stories, and share details about some of your favorite albums.  Sometimes Romesh can go off on some pretty hilarious unrelated topics, such as how much guac is just right in a burrito.  More a podcast for those looking for a music podcast that’s on a different note.

Grounded with Louis Theroux

Louis Theroux is a journalist, broadcaster, author, and documentarian who hosts his Grounded podcast for BBC Radio Four, bringing on a different guest that he’s always wanted to interview.  The podcast began during the pandemic when Theroux couldn’t do his television shows but wanted to stay productive.  Theroux makes sure to reciprocate with his guests, telling stories of his own struggles to encourage them to open up. 

The Rest is Politics

What The Rest is History does for the past, The Rest is Politics does for government.  Hosted by former Press Secretary to Tony Blair, Alastair Campbell and former Secretary of State for International Development Rory Stewart, the two found common ground in this podcast after being expelled from the Labour and Conservatives parties, respectively.  They do two episodes per week, one that focuses on discussing contemporary political issues and a “question time” episode where they answer questions from listeners. 

Have You Heard George’s Podcast?

George Mpanga, known professionally as George the Poet, hosts this podcast that can be as varied in its subject material as George is in his talents.  Any given episode could feature a memoir, comedy, spoken word, rap, and art in all forms.  George the Poet often focuses on inner-city life in the United Kingdom, speaking from his perspective that transforms his life into art.

No Such Thing as a Fish

If you’re a fan of panel shows, you’ll want to check out No Such Thing as a Fish.  The podcast is presented by the “QI Elves”, the researchers who come up with all the interesting and off-the-wall questions for that panel show.  Each episode is based around a different fact presented by one of the hosts and discussed at length by the panel.  It’s definitely a must for trivia buffs and panel show fans. 

Films to Be Buried With

If you’re a fan of Ted Lasso, you’ll want to check out Brett Goldstein’s Films to Be Buried With.  As a film buff (in addition to being a writer and actor), Goldstein brings on a different guest each week to discuss the films that have shaped their lives and which ones they’d take to their graves.  Guests range from megastars like Sharon Stone to directors such as Edgar Wright.  It’s definitely a movie podcast of a different kind and well worth checking out whether you love movies or Roy Kent. 

Spark – True Stories Live

Spark brings true stories from across the United Kingdom from the people who lived them.  The stories told are as varied as the people telling them, with subjects ranging from city life to handling embarrassment.  If you enjoy similar stories presented on NPR, you’ll definitely want to give Spark a try for unique perspective on life in the United Kingdom.

Sir Paul McCartney will appear on The Rolling Stones’ upcoming album, bringing together two of the biggest bands in British musical history.

The former Beatle, 80, has provided a bass part to one of the tracks that is expected to feature on their upcoming studio album, which remains untitled.

A spokesman for the Stones said reports Sir Ringo Starr also featured were untrue and that Sir Paul had found himself in a nearby recording studio while Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were mixing the record.

The album, due to be released later this year, will feature the late Charlie Watts on around half its songs, with current drummer Steve Jordan on the others, the PA news agency understands.

Jordan has toured as a regular member of the band since the death of long-standing drummer Watts in August 2021.

US publication Variety previously reported Sir Paul had recorded for a forthcoming Stones project “helmed by 2021 Grammy producer of the year Andrew Watt” during sessions in Los Angeles.

Although the Beatles and Stones were portrayed as rivals during the 60s and 70s, members have collaborated over the years.

During the Stones’ Rock and Roll Circus show in 1968, John Lennon made an appearance as part of a supergroup dubbed The Dirty Mac while Brian Jones played on the Beatles track You Know My Name (Look Up The Number).

The Stones also scored an early hit with I Wanna Be Your Man – a song written by Sir Paul and John Lennon, and later also recorded by The Beatles.

This past summer the Stones – Sir Mick and guitarists Richards and Ronnie Wood – traveled through Europe for their 60th-anniversary tour.

The band’s Sixty tour featured stops in cities including Madrid, Milan and Paris, as well as two shows at BST Hyde Park in London.