Episodi
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The bushmaster snake is on the one hand, very polite: it announces its presence with a two-tone whistle.
On the other hand, however, it's utterly merciless: a creature which will chase humans through the jungle, attack aggressively, and should it miss with its fangs will leap on to its intended prey and attempt to whip them in to submission.
Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleThis is just one of the extraordinary tales shared by Lucy Shepherd, the brilliant young explorer who has travelled through both the Antarctic and the Amazon. She joined James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast to talk about her life growing up in rural Suffolk, to the high-adrenaline life she now leads, blazing a trail through impenetrable jungle. You'll like her.
Lucy's latest exploits are the subject of an upcoming show on Channel 4 called Secret Amazon: Into the Wild, which is scheduled to air on October 7th at 10pm.
You can also catch up with Lucy on Instagram at @lucysheps
Episode credits
Host: James Fisher
Guest: Lucy Shepherd
Editor and Producer: Toby Keel
Music: JuliusH via PixabayHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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We were thrilled to discover that Charlie Bigham is a real person. It's a bit like meeting Aunt Bessie, and asking how she does her Yorkshire Puddings, or running swapping tips with Ronald McDonald about how to get your fries crispy.
But real person he is, and he's a man with a fascinating story to tell, from ditching a hugely promising career in order to drive a campervan to India, then to return to Britain and become a household name in the world of pre-prepared meals.
Food for many people is a source of comfort, and it certainly is too for Charlie, who joined the Country Life Podcast this week to talk about cooking, his business and his new cookbook Supper With Charlie Bigham, which is out on Thursday September 12.
Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleIn the book, you can cook classics from his range (including the lasagne, rejoice) as well as plenty of other dishes that he makes for his family and friends at home. Which is neat. A risk too, perhaps, because if you could whip up a Charlie Bigham meal on cue then your friends and family will constantly be coming around. We can only imagine how annoying it is for him already.
We also spoke about his decision to leave his consulting work in 1994 and go traveling. It was that journey, and a love of cooking, that inspired him to set up his business in the first place. We chatted about creating the world’s most expensive fish pie, known as the ‘Swish Pie’, the importance of sustainable business and caring for the planet, and his favourite place in the British countryside.
Charlie has always been the guy behind the wooden tray. It was great to finally meet him. We hope you’ll enjoy listening.
Episode credits
Host: James FisherGuest: Charlie BighamEditor and producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via PixabaySpecial Thanks: Adam WilbournHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episodi mancanti?
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Here at the Country Life Podcast, we like to think we deliver a useful and necessary service. We want to discuss the important issues. We want to talk to Norman Foster about why architecture matters. We want to speak to farmers about how they can help tackle the climate crisis. We strive to compress the beauty of nature into an audio format so we can learn to cherish and appreciate the world around us.
Sometimes, however, we have to ask important questions such as: ‘How can you sneak onto a yacht party at the Monaco Grand Prix?’. Thankfully, we know just such an expert. Adam Hay Nicholls has spent decades travelling the world, driving fast cars, reviewing fancy hotels and writing about Formula One. His answer? Confidence, good socks, and knowing the name of the owner of said yacht. Either that, or pretend you’re from pest control. Even fancy yachts have rats, apparently.
To complement this week’s Horsepower Issue, Adam joined me for a chat about all things cars, travel and F1. What are some of his favourite cars that he’s driven? What’s it like owning a vintage Bentley? Why was he at the opening of a hotel in Dubai with Beyonce? Why is he currently trapped in a log cabin in Northumberland? All very important questions as I’m sure you’d agree.
We also spoke at length about his trip around England, Scotland and Wales to complete the Three Peaks challenge. If that doesn’t sound very luxurious, don’t worry, we sent him off to do it in an Aston Martin.
We’re not yet sure whether CountryLife.co.uk will be able to hire an ‘Editor of having a jolly good time’, but if we do, Adam certainly has the resumé for the role. We think you’ll enjoy listening to what he’s been up to.
Episode credits
Host: James Fisher
Guest: Adam Hay-Nicholls
Producer and Editor: Toby Keel
Music: JuliusH via Pixabay
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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If it wasn’t for The Stage, there’s every chance that Britain and, indeed, the world may have been deprived of such great names as Kenneth Brannagh, Harold Pinter, Michael Caine, Sharon D Clarke, Idris Elba, The Spice Girls and Steps.
Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleIt goes to show the importance of trade publications, especially those that work in the Arts. I was very lucky to be joined this week on the Country Life by The Stage’s editor Alistair Smith to talk about all things theatre and the performing arts, as well as the Edinburgh Fringe. Full disclosure, he is also my friend and neighbour, and sometimes he feeds my cat while I’m on holiday.
Nevertheless, he is an expert in his field, having started working at the newspaper 20 years ago on work experience, before rising through the ranks to the top job. Over the years, he’s seen it all, from mime shows to the Kit Kat club to a Fringe performance that took place entirely in a lift.
We talked about The Fringe, the state of the Arts in the UK and what can be done to help them, his work for the charity Get Into Theatre, how he got his big break in journalism thanks to a juggler and how to get Ian McKellen to take your picture.
As always, it’s a supremely engaging listen and you can download it wherever you get your podcasts.
Episode credits
Host: James Fisher
Guest: Alistair Smith
Editor and producer: Toby Keel
Music: JuliusH via Pixabay
Special Thanks: Adam Wilbourn
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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It’s important to think about the past. I think about it often. Usually when I’m lying in bed and my brain decides that’s the best time to think of mistakes I’ve made, loves that have been lost, and, of course, the Roman Empire.
A lot of history is about kings, queens and battles. Which is very interesting in its own way. But is it real history? After all, most of history doesn’t involve kings or queens or battles. Most of history is just normal people going about their business, trying not to be too hungry, too cold, or too sick. That’s real history.
Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleThat’s why it’s important to talk to people such as Ruth Goodman, who is less interested in kings and queens and battles. She likes to learn about normal people, doing normal things, in the past and what that says about us.
She came on the Country Life Podcast to talk to us about normal people doing normal things in the past, and how she learns so much about them. The secret is to put yourself in their shoes. She cooks dinners over an open fire. She once lived according to a ‘Tudor body-cleansing regime’ for three months and apparently it wasn’t so bad. To her, the study of the people of the past is a type of anthropology; after all, to us, the Tudor is a different society altogether.
It was extremely eye opening and interesting. We also discussed her work around restoring a former ‘ragged school’ in Fulham that has been redeveloped into something called KYN Hurlingham. It’s an interesting focal point of how working-class people worked together to improve their own lives, in the face of indifference from the wealthy and the government.
It was a wide-ranging and interesting chat. You’ll love it. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Episode credits
Host: James Fisher
Guest: Ruth Goodman
Editor and producer: Toby Keel
Music: JuliusH via Pixabay
Special Thanks: Adam Wilbourn
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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When it comes to the world of British art, few names are more widely recognised than David Messum. From extolling the virtues of the English Impressionists to resurrecting interest in the Newlyn School, David has spent more than 60 years reminding us all that English art is as good as any across the world.
Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleWe were very lucky that when we asked him to join us on the Country Life Podcast he said yes. Not everyone says yes. We started off talking about his early career in the art world — from what inspired him to get into art, to his early days working at Christie’s and Bonhams — before moving on to the establishment of his eponymous business, which has been championing British art since 1963.
What inspired him to revisit the late 19th/early 20th-century West Country painters known as the Newlyn School? Who are some of his favourite artists working today? What’s his favourite painting? What would he do if he could change one thing about the art world? All these questions and more are answered.
And it’s not for us to shout from the rooftops, but we are pretty sure this is a Country Life exclusive, as David tells us it’s the first time he’s been on a podcast. Listening to his whimsical tales of his life as a collector and dealer, it’s unlikely to be his last. Tune in below, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Episode credits
Host: James Fisher
Guest: David Messum
Editor and producer: Toby Keel
Music: JuliusH via Pixabay
Special Thanks: Adam Wilbourn
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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This week on the Country Life Podcast, Matt Thompson — Curatorial Director of English Heritage — joins our host James Fisher to talk history.
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Recent research from English Heritage asked people to name their favourite periods of the past, and as you might expect the headline findings reflected the widespread interest in the Romans, World Wars, Tudors and Victorians.
But dig deeper, as Matt explains, and a huge number of fascinating stories are revealed by the thousands of sites and artefacts that sit within English Heritage's collection.
He shares many of these with James, talks about the organisation's role in stimulating our love of history and throws light on some bizarre objects — not least a single bone from a Barbary Macaque found in a Roman city. Matt also names his all-time favourite English Heritage site, and it's a beautiful, unspoilt site that's free to visit.
Episode credits
Host: James FisherGuest: Matt ThompsonEditor and producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via PixabaySpecial Thanks: Adam WilbournHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The thing about good ideas is that they sound incredibly obvious only after they’ve been invented. Take Deliveroo, for example. Looking back, of course it makes sense to get restaurants to deliver food, above and beyond the old-fashioned takeaway. Of course being able to summon a cab using an app will be a successful business, considering we tell everyone where we are all the time. Why didn’t I think of that?
Violet Manners has had an idea. In her own words, she was quite surprised that nobody else had thought of it first. How do we take privately owned country homes, castles and gardens, and create a simple way of allowing people to look at them, understand them, and then visit them? By creating a site where you can look at them, understand them, and then book a visit. It’s called HeritageXplore.
She joined the Country Life podcast this week to talk about HeritageXplore, what it offers, why it’s important and what it means for our, well, heritage. We expanded into conversations about how stately homes and gardens, often considered something ‘old’, are becoming something new, through tv shows such as Bridgerton and Downton Abbey, and how it’s important for privately owned country houses to take advantage of the wave of interest in these buildings and their stories.
And Violet is the perfect person to bridge the gap between heritage and the digital space. She tells us about growing up in Belvoir Castle and why her and her sister were entrusted with fishing pigeons out of the pipes. Listen to the full episode above, or wherever you get your podcasts. HeritageXplore is found at heritagexplore.com, and you can listen to Violet's own podcast, Hidden Heritage, wherever you get your podcasts.
Episode credits
Host: James FisherGuest: Lady Violet MannersEditor and producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via PixabaySpecial Thanks: Adam WilbournHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The award-winning journalist Chris Haslam doesn't just like beaches; he loves them.
Chris, chief travel writer for the Sunday Times, recently returned from spending seven weeks touring the coastline of Britain to produce his list of the very best beaches in Britain.
It's a mammoth undertaking, in which he and his dog — a Jack Russell called Dave — drove over 5,500 miles to inspect beaches from the tip of the Highlands to the Kent coast, and from the furthest tip of Cornwall to the broad sands of East Anglia and Lincolnshire.
He found beauty, joy, and plentiful fish and chip shops — but also came into contact with once-beautiful coastal spots that were clean and beautiful a decade ago, but are now tarnished by pollution.
For all that, though, Chris remains a huge fan and advocate of British beaches: 'Nowhere I've been in the world has the variety and raw natural beauty of the British coastline.'
He spoke to Country Life's James Fisher for this wonderful episode. You can read Chris's full list of beaches here.
Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleEpisode creditsHost: James FisherGuest: Chris HaslamEditor and producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via Pixabay and the Fly Guy Five via Epidemic SoundSpecial Thanks: Adam WilbournHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Buckingham Palace’s East Wing has opened up to visitors for the first time in 2024. St James’s Palace did so at the tail end of 2023. Even Balmoral — a royal residence privately owned by the Windsors, rather than part of the holdings of the Crown — has opened up its doors, something which would have been unimaginable during the lifetime of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Why has it happened, and what can it tell us about the Monarcy today? Country Life’s Architectural Editor John Goodall joins host James Fisher in this episode of the Country Life Podcast to talk about this, and much more.
Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleSome of the topics are very much in John’s ballpark: how to get your house featured in the pages of Country Life, and what you can expect once it happens, for example. But, never a man afraid to stray out of his lane, John also delves into the wonderful world of Taylor Swift concerts, how to build 1.5 million homes, and why sequin-covered books on architecture might one day be best-sellers. He even squeezes in a bit about how Oxford University ought to do a better job of keeping track of their own buildings. Enjoy.
Episode creditsHost: James Fisher
Guest: John Goodall
Editor and producer: Toby Keel
Music: JuliusH via Pixabay and the Fly Guy Five via Epidemic Sound
Special Thanks: Adam Wilbourn
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Look around you. You might be reading this in your home. Or perhaps someone else’s home. The point is we spend a lot of time in our homes, more so now than ever before (apart from that year we don’t talk about).
Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleThey are our own private spaces — reflections on ourselves, our styles, our opinions, our choices, our ideas. Every choice you make when it comes to your home, from the wallpaper to who you choose to share it with, is both an extension of yourself and often an extension of the world around you. Homes are something we look at most days, and yet something that we probably don’t often think about all that often.
I know this now because I spent 30 minutes talking to Sonia Solicari, the director of the Museum of the Home, who opened my eyes to what ‘the home’ really means. At her museum, based in Hoxton in East London, the home is used to understand and explain history in a fascinating way. Through rooms, from a parlour in 1695 to what the living room of the future may look like, we can understand the world around us.
These are just some of the fascinating insights from our talk. Another one is how Sonia explained to me how everyday objects often found in the home changed our lives. Did you know that the invention of the thermostat may have given rise to the moody teenager? There’s a free little tidbit for you.
It’s been one of my favourite podcasts we’ve done and I would highly recommend you listen to the rest. There’s even a bit where a squirrel interrupts me by staring at me through the window, but at the time of writing I've not yet heard the final cut, so I’m not sure if Toby left that bit in. The only way you'll find out now is to have a listen for yourself. And in doing so, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did (the podcast, not the squirrel).
— James Fisher
Episode credits
Host: James Fisher
Guest: Sonia Solicari of the Museum of the Home
Editor and Producer: Toby Keel
Music: JuliusH via Pixabay
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The landscape photographer Charlie Waite is a true national treasure. A fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, he has published dozens of photography books and founded the Landscape Photographer of the Year awards back in 2006.
We're absolutely delighted that he joined us on the Country Life Podcast, telling host James Fisher about his life in photography, how he was shaped by his early years in theatre and film, and his philosophy on how to produce — not just 'take' — a photograph has evolved.
Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleHe tells us about how he has been inspired by some of the greats of the craft, from Ansel Adams to Henri Cartier-Bresson, quoting some of the advice he has taken on board from his heroes. Charlie is also passionate about sharing his love of landscape photography with as many people as possible, both through his Light & Land workshops and tours, and with his latest venture, an exhibition at the Mall Galleries in September 2024 in which Charlie's pictures will hang alongside those of other landscape photographers, amateur and professional, from across the world.
Episode credits
Host: James FisherGuest: Charlie WaiteEditor and Producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via PixabaySpecial thanks: Adam WilbournHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The Carbuncle Cup — the award given to the worst new building in Britain — has returned after a six-year hiatus. Competition judge and magazine editor Charlie Baker spoke to James Fisher about why pointing out bad architecture matters.
You can see pictures of all the buildings Charlie and James discuss in our show notes.
Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on Google PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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From the rollercoaster of mortgage rates to the calling of a surprise election, the economic landscape of Britain never seems to sit still these days.
Thankfully, award-winning property journalist Annabel Dixon writes regularly for Country Life to help us make sense of what's going on and we're delighted that this week she joins James Fisher on the Country Life podcast.
Annabel talks about whether now is a good time to buy, the best places to look, what you can expect if you move across the North-South divide and much more — including her own dream house and part of the country.
Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on Google PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on Audible
Episode creditsHost: James Fisher
Guest: Annabel Dixon
Editor and Producer: Toby Keel
Music: JuliusH via Pixabay
Special thanks: Adam Wilbourn
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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We lead busy lives these days — which might be all well and good for getting things done, but is the last thing you want on holiday.
That's the central idea behind a new book by the travel writer Liz Schaffer, Slow Travel Britain, in which Liz travelled to 22 off-the-track parts of Britain to really take them in. From walking Hadrian's Wall to exploring the unspoilt corners of the Pembrokeshire coast, Liz made a point of taking her time, talking to the people she met, and avoiding — at all costs — falling in to the trap of box-ticking sights and places.
We're delighted that Liz joined us on the Country Life Podcast, speaking to our own Travel Editor, Rosie Paterson, to discuss the places she saw, the people she met, and what she learned about travel — and indeed herself — on the way.
Liz's book is published by Hoxton — you can order a copy here.
Episode credits
Host: Rosie Paterson
Guest: Liz Schaffer
Producer and Editor: Toby Keel
Music: JuliusH via Pixabay
Special thanks: Adam Wilbourn
On holiday this week but will be back next time: James Fisher
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Some time between the formation of the earth, and now, some human beings decided to draw some lines on the sand somewhere to define ‘our bit’ of the earth and ‘their bit’ of the earth. We now refer to these lines as borders.
Journalist and author Jonn Elledge has always been fascinated by why and how this happens, and in this episode he joins the Country Life Podcast to talk about borders and his new book, The History of the World in 47 Borders.
Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on Google PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleJonn's fascination with borders made him think that the smart thing to do would be to write a book about them. 47 of them, specifically, which he claims can tell us ‘the history of the world’. We invited him on to the Country Life podcast to discuss just how the border came to be, what they mean, some weird ones, and the somewhat disturbing truth about why a lot of them are simply just straight lines.
We answer important questions such as ‘why does Wales exist’, what happened during the partition of India, and why most borders are a bit nonsensical, when you think about it.
And at the heart of it all lies the great question: are national identities defined by their borders, or vice versa? To find out the answer, you’ll just have to listen — and if you get to the end and still want to know more (including the answer to the question ‘why does landlocked Bolivia still have a navy?’), you can buy his book, which is available at all good bookshops (and some bad ones).
'The History of the World in 47 Borders' can be bought online here. Follow Jonn on X/Twitter here
Episode credits
Host: James Fisher
Guest: Jonn Elledge
Editor and Producer: Toby Keel
Music: JuliusH via Pixabay
Special thanks: Adam Wilbourn
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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On May 10, 1824, Britain's National Gallery opened its doors for the first time. This year, to celebrate its bicentenary, the gallery is hosting a whole string of events and celebrations to market the occasion.
Of all these, perhaps the boldest and most eye-catching is National Treasures, a selection of just 12 from among the thousands of masterpieces in the National Gallery's collection. The 12 paintings will be on display at 12 galleries around Britain, bringing art to people across the land, and making the National Gallery truly national.
Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on Google PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleBut how do you go about choosing the 12 most famous paintings from such an astonishing collection? It's an almost impossible task, and one that fell to one of the gallery's curators, Dr Francesca Whitlum-Cooper, who led the team that whittled down the almost countless options to the final 12.
Francesca joined James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast to talk about how it was done. She also shares the story of her life and career, how she came to be at the gallery, what art really means to us — and, of course, the practicalities and philosophy that underlies the idea of sending a string of artworks worth tens of millions of pounds across the country to be seen by fresh eyes.
You can find out more about the National Gallery, and the NG200 celebrations, at the gallery's website, nationalgallery.org.uk. And you can see the 12 paintings that made the cut for the National Treasures exhibitions at nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/across-the-uk/national-treasures
Episode credits:
Host: James FisherGuest: Dr Francesca Whitlum-CooperEditor and Producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via PixabaySpecial thanks: Adam WilbournHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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James Alexander-Sinclair is one of Britain's foremost garden designers and writers. He's a regular contributor to Country Life magazine and many other titles, and a regular presence on television screens talking about gardening.
He is also one of the top judges at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show — and we're absolutely delighted that he joins us to give a full behind-the-scenes account of the entire judging process.
James doesn't shy away from any of the issues — or the controversies which have raged in recent years over the unconventional winners that have had many lovers of traditional gardens up in arms.
You can find out more about James Alexander-Sinclair at his website or follow him on Instagram.
Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on Google PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleEpisode credits
Host: James Fisher Guest: James Alexander-Sinclair
Editor and producer: Toby Keel
Music: JuliusH via Pixabay
Special thanks: Adam Wilbourn
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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At the turn of the millennium, Isabella Tree and her husband Charlie Burrell faced a crisis. They were £1.5 million in debt after spending 17 years trying to run a farm that simply wouldn't grow the crops they needed for it to be sustainable.
With all their efforts to effect change and introduce diversification failing, they took a drastic decision: to return the farm to Nature — a decision which Isabella tells James Fisher all about on the Country Life Podcast.
Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on Google PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleRewilding might be a buzzword in the 2020s, but at the time was almost unheard of in Britain. Only a few projects on the Continent showed that there might be a potential alternative that could save the estate. Charlie and Isabella pushed ahead — and were staggered at how, within months, Nature began to recover and restore this heavy clay farmland that simply refused their attempts at agriculture.
'Suddenly it felt like the land was breathing a sigh of relief, and everything was coming to live,' Isabella tells James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast. Even things which scientists had told them could take a century began happening within the first year, and they've never looked back.
'We knew we were on to something,' she adds, 'and it's just got better and better.'
Isabella went on to write a bestselling book about her experiences — a book which has now been turned into a documentary film, out in June 2024 (you can watch the trailer at the Country Life website).
You can find out more about Isabella, Charlie and the Knepp Estate at knepp.co.uk
Episode credits
Host: James Fisher
Guest: Isabella Tree
Producer and Editor: Toby Keel
Music: JuliusH via Pixabay
Special thanks: Adam Wilbourn
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Paula Lester has been running the features desk at Country Life magazine for over a decade. So when His Majesty The King — Prince Charles, as he was at the time — agreed to guest edit the magazine, she was the obvious choice to guide him and his team through the process.
The result, as Paula tells James Fisher on this week's Country Life Podcast, could never have been foreseen: after months of work and literally thousands of emails, the magazine became Country Life's best-selling issue of all time. A second guest edit came; then The Princess Royal took the helm as well; and in 2022, it was the turn of Queen Camilla, while still Duchess of Cornwall, to try her hand at it.
Paula talks through those extraordinary experiences, and what it was like to work with His Majesty and Their Royal Highnesses on putting together an issue of the magazine. Everything from commissioning features to arrange a photo shoot carried out by none other than The Duchess of Cambridge (now Princess of Wales) — who phoned Paula while she was at the hairdresser!
As well as the royal guest edits, Paula explains how the magazine's features come together each week, looking at where ideas come from, how they're brought to life, and the amazing team around her who make sure that it happens 52 weeks a year.
Episode credits
Host: James Fisher
Guest: Paula Lester
Editor and Producer: Toby Keel
Music: JuliusH via Pixabay
Special thanks: Adam Wilbourn
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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