The Rt Hon David Steel MP has been leader of the Liberal Party since 1976. After leaving university, his first job was with the Scottish Liberal Party as Assistant Secretary. In 1965, he won a seat in the Borders and became the youngest member of that parliament. In conversation ...Show more
Barbara Taylor Bradford
Barbara Taylor Bradford's first novel, A Woman of Substance, which was published in 1980, quickly became a huge international success. In conversation with Roy Plomley, she recalls her childhood in Leeds, her first job as a reporter on the Yorkshire Evening Post at the age of 16, ...Show more
"The music of Rossini came into my life very early", says actress Joanna Lumley, "I loved him because his music is so happy". In conversation with Michael Parkinson, she recalls her upbringing in the Far East, a convent education and her subsequent theatrical career. She also cho ...Show more
The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is an entertainer who has managed to captivate a generation. Petula Clark will be talking to Sue Lawley about how the British still perceive her as 'our pet' since her early singing days when she was chosen to sing in Trafalgar Square ...Show more
Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the actress Joanna Lumley. She first found fame as the high-kicking glamour-puss Purdey in the 1970s show The New Avengers, but the role that cemented her in the nation's psyche was Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous. A striking beauty with a cut-gl ...Show more
Lesley Manville made her debut on the West End stage as a teenager in 1972, and since then has taken on a wide range of roles on stage and screen, including an Oscar-nominated performance in the film Phantom Thread. She was born in Brighton and first enjoyed performing as a singe ...Show more