PODCAST · society
Country Life
by Country Life
Country Life magazine has been celebrating the best of life in Britain for over 126 years, from the castles and cottages that dot the land to the beautiful countryside around us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
-
From Norman Foster and Ken Follett to James May's Lego and Sadam Hussein's Rolex: The best of the Country Life Podcast
We’re taking a break, and while I’m not sure when we’ll be back, I am sure we will be back. The world of digital media moves quickly, which is somewhat anathema to the work we do at Country Life. While I have enjoyed every single episode we have made, it is absolutely time to have a look at...
-
What not to miss at the 2026 Chelsea Flower Show, with Clive Nichols and Kathryn Bradley-Hole
Here at Country Life, we love the Chelsea Flower Show — and we know you do too. So we're absolutely delighted to bring you this very special edition of the Country Life Podcast, recorded live in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, with Clive Nichols and Kathryn Bradley-Hole. Kathryn was...
-
70 years of housing hell — and how to make it stop: Jonathan Glancey on the Country Life Podcast
Britain is full of architectural talent and ideas. So why is our affordable housing in such a state? 'We need to think of unusual sites and then do something special with them,' says the architecture critic and writer Jonathan Glancey, who joins James Fisher on this week's Country Life Podcast....
-
'I hadn't seen anyone who looked like me moving outdoors': Bethany Handley on nature, access, and going up mountains in a pink wheelchair
Bethany Handley was always an outdoorsy kid. Climbing mountains, crossing rivers or surfing in the sea near her home in South Wales, she lived and worked in the wild, with a job as an outdoor activity instructor. All that changed in the matter of a few months as illness left her in a wheelchair....
-
Is the cure for modern life as simple as going for a walk? Annabel Streets on the Country Life Podcast
Your grandmother was right: going for a walk really does do you a power of good. Just how much, though, is something that we're only just beginning to discover — a point made beautifully by the writer and researcher Annabel Streets, who joins James Fisher on this week's Country Life Podcast....
-
Is now the time to buy a country house? Strutt & Parker's experts on the Country Life Podcast
A wise man once said to me, about buying a house, that you ‘have to remember that this is the most money you will spend on anything, ever, so you want to make sure you get it right’. It’s probably best, therefore, to make sure that the people advising you know a thing or two about the market and...
-
Viking hats, natural wines and messy lunches, with Leonie Cooper
Depending on who you ask, the food and drink scene in London is either in a state of despair or it's never been in better health. As always, when there is this much noise, it's best to get an expert on to cut a path through the metaphorical fog. Who could be better than Leonie Cooper, food and...
-
The craft renaissance, with Giles Kime
Each year, the Country Life Top 100 names the very finest country house architects, interior designers, landscapers, garden designers and craftspeople in Britain. It's one of the magazine's undisputed highlights of the year, with our interiors expert Giles Kime spending months alongside experts...
-
Vanbrugh, Castle Howard, and iconic buildings destroyed in the flames, with Dr John Goodall
On March 26, it will have been precisely 300 years since the death of Sir John Vanbrugh, the visionary architect behind buildings such as Blenheim Palace, Castle Howard, and Seaton Delaval. He is, without a doubt, one of the most influential ‘surveyors’ (as they were known back then) in British...
-
Borders, identity, and the truth about Cornish independence, with Richard Collett
The River Tamar that forms the Devon-Cornwall border comes within four miles of making Cornwall an island. In and around the Scottish Borders, many people define themselves as Bordermen first, and Scottish or English second. And the the great medieval border created in the years of Danelaw both...
-
Do androids dream of electric cars, with Adam Hay-Nicholls
The more things change, the more they stay the same. As the Formula One season kicked off on Sunday, we saw the advent of full hybrid racing at the top level for the first time. A full 50/50 split between internal combustion and electrical power at the pinnacle of motorsport. Quite the change.…
more -
The untold story of Stephen Sondheim, by the people who knew him best
The composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim was an icon. As the creative force behind a string of huge musicals — including West Side Story and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum — he is widely regarded as the 'Shakespeare of the musical'. Sondheim's life and legacy are the subject of…
more -
Justine Picardie: Fashion, spies and Queen Elizabeth II's wardrobe, from timeless tweeds to a pair of Marigolds
Novelist, biographer, journalist and writer Justine Picardie joins the Country Life Podcast to talk about her life in fashion and journalism, her writing, and her close encounters with the Royal Family — including the day she found herself in a remote Scottish bothy, helping the late Queen...
-
Moving to the Cotswolds and DIY disasters, with Jim Chapman
Is it worth the effort? That’s the question that many people might ask themselves as they stand in the doorway of a knackered old house in the Cotswolds, wondering whether to buy it and start renovating. For Jim Chapman, author, illustrator, presenter, occasional model, fashionable dad and social...
-
'They've nourished us, sheltered us, protected us... we owe trees far more than they owe us': Aidan Meighan on the folklore of trees
For as long as he can remember, the writer and illustrator Aidan Meighan has been inspired by Nature. His early exploits might not have been entirely welcomed by those around him — collecting and storing slugs and snails in a cupboard at school, and stashing a dead adder in a drawer at his…
more -
Adders, Shetland ponies and the future of the human race: Tom Hilder on the Country Life Podcast
Tom Hilder was born to a life in the country. Born in rural Scotland but raised in Hampshire, he went through school always thinking – and being told — that he needed to find a life, and a career, out in the countryside, working with his hands. A chance meeting with a lecturer at Sparsholt…
more -
Two years, 2,000 miles and counting: Katharine Hay, the woman walking the length and breadth of Scotland
It's just over two years ago that the journalist Katharine Hay, a year into her new job as rural affairs correspondent for The Scotsman newspaper, had an epiphany. '98% of Scotland is rural,' she recalls thinking, 'and here I am sitting in the two per cent urban area. It really doesn't feel like...
-
1,000 issues and counting: Mark Hedges on two decades editing Country Life magazine
It's 2006. Tony Blair is the Prime Minister, George W. Bush the US President, the existence of global warming is still up for debate, and a couple of new websites come out of early test versions to open their doors to the world: YouTube and Facebook. Amid all this, in an office on London's South...
-
Secrets from the world of whisky, from the 60-year-old bottle that sold for £650,000 to the tipple you get at the supermarket
In the last 20 years, the world of whisky has exploded, being transformed beyond recognition. What was once a croft industry in the Scottish Highlands and Islands has spread around the world. The Scots' craft has spread out across the world, from Ireland and Wales to Japan, India and beyond. In...
-
Where should you go in 2026? Anywhere that you can just kick back and relax
An off-grid lodge in the Canadian Wilderness? The colourful charm of Germany? A weekend jaunt to New York? Or perhaps a palazzo in Florence? Rosie Paterson, who is both Country Life's Travel Editor and Digital Content Director, has done all of this and more in 2025, and she joins James Fisher on...
-
The King, The Queen, David Beckham and me: Paula Minchin on Country Life's best guest edits
Country Life's features editor Paula Minchin is a force of nature. Every week she steers her team of editors and writers through the creation of dozens of pages of magazine features, with hardly a glitch and never, ever a missed deadline. So when Country Life brings in a guest editor — something...
-
Jane Austen's greatest scoundrel: Being Mr Wickham, with Adrian Lukis
In the heady days of mid-1990s Britain, the actor Adrian Lukis went to a screen test for a glossy new drama: an adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel Pride and Prejudice. To an actor, auditions come and go — most don't work out — and having hated the book while at school, he didn't have high...
-
The dogs of Country Life, with Agnes Stamp
What makes Country Life? Country houses, gardens, nature, fine art — and dogs. Right from the first issue of the print magazine in 1897, Man's Best Friend has been right at the heart of Country Life — with that original edition featuring an article on Princess Alexandra and her Borzois. Almost…
more -
The Falconer's Tale: Tommy Durcan on how an ancient art lives on in the 21st century
The ancient and noble art of falconry has been practised for thousands of years, but it's rarely been more easily accessible to the curious. Today, there are places across Britain, Ireland and the rest of the world where you can go on a hawk walk — or an an owl prowl — accompanied by an expert...
-
Amelia Thomas: The woman who learned to talk to animals
A few years ago, Amelia Thomas and her husband packed up their fast-paced lives and moved to a remote farm in Nova Scotia. Faced with a desolate landscape, appalling weather and a husband who — like most Finns — abhorred small-talk, she found herself spending more and more time listening to the...
-
Stefan Pitman: Making great country houses cost less to heat than a suburban semi
Ten years ago, Stefan Pitman set up SPASE Architects. Right from the start, he realised many of his clients were coming to him with one big problem: they might own beautiful old buildings, but they cost a fortune to run. 'We have really close connections with our clients,' he tells James Fisher…
more -
The lives, wild parties and country houses of the Guinness family: Adrian Tinniswood on the Country Life Podcast
'When they came to me and said, "do you want to do a book on the Guinness houses?" I leapt at the chance. Because, I've got to tell you, they have some astonishing houses. I mean, some really amazing places.' So says Adrian Tinniswood, who — like the Guinness family houses — is also amazing and...
-
Amanda Owen: The Yorkshire Shepherdess on farming, life, and having tea with her sheep
Growing up in the cityscape of Huddersfield, Amanda Owen was inspired by tales of farming life, from the adventures of James Herriot to the classic Hill Shepherd by John Forder, painting a picture of fell farming that became all she wanted to do. Fast forward to the 2020s and Amanda has become…
more -
James Robinson: A fifth-generation farmer on the ups and downs of 'the most glorious job in the world'
'It's often the most glorious job in the world,' says James Robinson, a farmer in Cumbria whose family have been working the same piece of land since the 19th century. The bad days, though, can be bleak, and when 'you're life's work is disappearing before your eyes' there are days when 'you wish...
-
Hannah Shergold: Flying helicopters, rampaging elephants and painting Ronnie Wood
Hannah Shergold is nothing if not proof that following your instincts really can take you anywhere. Today, she's one of the best-known artists in Britain, a painter and sculptor who has sold countless works, and raised over £350,000 for charity while doing it. • Listen to Country Life podcast on...
-
Mark Ashley-Miller: The man who sailed to (almost) every harbour in the British Isles
In 2018, Mark Ashley-Miller bought a boat. There's nothing unusual in that, but there is in what happened next: he decided to sail around the coasts of Britain and Ireland, visiting every single harbour in the British Isles. And unlike most people who have such pipe dreams, he actually did it.…
more -
Jules Perowne: Where to go in 2026, hotel disasters and podcasting with Richard E. Grant
Jules Perowne — CEO and founder of Perowne International — is one of the most respected voices in the luxury travel industry, working as a consultant and PR guru for some of the most famous hotels in the world, including Gleneagles, Claridges and dozens more around the globe. • Listen to Country...
-
White-tailed eagles: From 'the greatest wildlife crime imaginable' to Nature's most wonderful comeback story
For most of the last 2,000 years, the white-tailed eagle — or sea eagle — has been one of the most common birds of prey in Britain. That all ended in horrendous fashion from the late 18th century onwards. Shooting, poisoning, egg collection, a mania for taxidermy and more combined to see this...
-
If there's no fish, there's no fishing, with Robin Philpott
If you are a person who lives in the UK, and you like standing in, or nearby, rivers, there’s a good chance you will have heard of Farlows. It is one of the great outdoors companies of the UK, a place for all fishermen and women to obsess over rods and reels while they tell themselves that they...
-
What the hedge can tell us about the countryside, with Richard Negus
Hedges are fascinating because they are like buildings. They are pretty much everywhere in rural England, Scotland and Wales, and yet do we ever really stop and think about what they are and what they do? One man who thinks a lot about what they are and what they do is Richard Negus, a…
more -
Ken Follett on Stonehenge, building cathedrals, and the glaring flaw in Shakespeare's greatest soliloquy
Ken Follett is a man who doesn’t really need much introduction, but introduce him I will anyway. Thirty-eight books written. 197 million copies sold in 80 countries and in 40 languages. Very popular across the world — and even in China and Brazil, according to the man himself. • Listen to Country...
-
The finest wines available to humanity, and how to buy them, with Beth Pearce
You would be forgiven that a trip to space might be one of the hardest things that a human being could do. But, it might actually be becoming a Master of Wine (MW). After all, more people have been to space than there are MWs. One such master of the grape is Beth Pearce, the head of buying at…
more -
Levison Wood: Trekking the Nile, near-death experiences and why nothing beats a cup of tea and a piece of toast
'There was a time when I couldn't walk down the King's Road without being mobbed,' chuckles Levison Wood. This is no brag, though: it's said with the bemusement of a man who was catapulted to fame after his plan to trek the length of the River Nile made him into an unlikely celebrity alongside...
-
Bruce Hodgson: Artichoke's founder on catflaps, carpentry and the future of crafts
What do catflaps and some of the finest carpentry in the land have in common? Bruce Hodgson, that’s what. The man who founded Artichoke is our guest on the Country Life Podcast this week, talking us through the history of the brand, as well as his own personal journey as a craftsman, and what the...
-
The truth about P.G. Wodehouse: Robert Daws on playing England's greatest comic writer
Anyone who loves P.G. Wodehouse knows Jeeves and Wooster, Blandings Castle and the Oldest Member golf stories. But what of the man himself? His early life as a sensation on Broadway? His extraordinary seven-days-a-week work ethic? The truth about his attempts to flee the Nazis, scuppered by an...
-
What it's like to come face-to-face with a great white shark, by Dan Abbott of Netflix's All The Sharks
How do you come to a point in your life when you find yourself swimming with great white sharks? And how can it be that when you do, you find that moment 'completely normal'? Dan Abbott — aka Shark Man Dan — answered these and many more questions when he joined us on the Country Life Podcast at…
more -
Marcus Janssen: Chelsea Lifejackets, bagging a 'MacNab' and recognising the best of the British countryside
'We still see people out wearing colours which we know for a fact we haven't produced in 15 or 20 years,' chuckles Marcus Janssen, head of Schöffel, as he speaks about the company's gilets — the 'Chelsea Lifejackets' — to James Fisher on this week's edition of the Country Life Podcast. Marcus…
more -
Corinne Fowler: Exploring the hidden history of the British countryside, one walk at a time
Corinne Fowler has never been one to shy away from straight talking. The Professor of Colonialism and Heritage at the University of Leicester made headlines for weeks back in 2020 after co-authoring a report for the National Trust on how the history and creation of many of our great houses are...
-
Steve Backshall on sharks, idyllic childhoods and getting his fingertips eaten by piranhas
The adventurer, broadcaster, scientist and writer Steve Backshall has been a fixture on TV screens in Britain for nearly three decades — and we're absolutely thrilled that he joined James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast. • Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts • Listen to Country…
more -
Hannah Bourne-Taylor: Saving swifts, naked protests and the bird that nested in my hair
‘I thought, okay, well it worked for Lady Godiva, didn’t it? This whole naked stuff? So let me give that a try. I felt like it was the only option.’ Just as it worked for Lady Godiva, so it has for Hannah Bourne-Taylor, the campaigner, naturalist and writer who has spent years fighting for change...
-
Simon Armitage: "I've tried getting AI to write poems — and they've all been reassuringly awful"
Poet, author, musician and Yorkshireman, Simon Armitage has been Britain's Poet Laureate since 2019 — so we're thrilled that he joined James Fisher on the latest edition of the Country Life Podcast. From the surprising details of what he does — or, more accurately, doesn't — have to do as part of...
-
Poppy Okotcha: The model-turned-gardener who swapped the catwalk for the vegetable patch
Amid the birdsong, the snores of a dog, and the purrs of a cat, sits Poppy Okotcha. The horticulturist and author joined the Country Life Podcast this week to discuss all things gardening and, specifically, its restorative effects on not only nature but people. • Listen to Country Life podcast on...
-
What you absolutely must see at the Chelsea Flower Show 2025, from the King's new rose to the 'perfect' garden
The Chelsea Flower Show is one of the high points of the summer: a celebration of plants, gardens and creativity, as well as an unbeatable opportunity to rub shoulders with those who share the passion for making the most of this gorgeous time of year in England. This year, Country Life has its…
more -
Tony Juniper: Saving the world, breeding budgies and why the King is 'the most influential environmentalist of all time'
When it comes to England’s environment and our landscape, few people in the country are as important as Tony Juniper. Since 2019, he has been the chairman of Natural England, the public body for ensuring that the country’s natural environment is protected and enhanced. Not a small job, as we are...
-
Louis D. Hall: Crossing the Alps, sailing the Atlantic in a glorified bathtub and bringing sanity to how we live with horses
Most people have friends who text them about going to the pub. If you're Louis D. Hall, you've got friends who'll text you about crossing a mountain range, sailing the Atlantic or coming face to face with remote tribes. All in a normal day (or week's) work for Louis. Most recently, he's trekked…
more
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Country Life magazine has been celebrating the best of life in Britain for over 126 years, from the castles and cottages that dot the land to the beautiful countryside around us.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
HOSTED BY
Country Life
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Country Life have?
Country Life currently has 117 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Country Life about?
Country Life magazine has been celebrating the best of life in Britain for over 126 years, from the castles and cottages that dot the land to the beautiful countryside around us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How often does Country Life release new episodes?
Country Life publishes regularly with 117 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Country Life?
You can listen to Country Life on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Country Life?
Country Life is created and hosted by Country Life.
URL copied to clipboard!