Richard Barber

Stephen Mangan describes a demanding day performing Florian Zeller’s comedy The Truth at London’s Apollo Theatre, including extensive vocal warm-ups, steaming and two performances without an interval. He discusses family life, reading, comedy influences and his belief that actors should welcome audiences at the stage door for autographs and selfies. The interview also highlights his commitment to traditional theatrical projection and his busy West End schedule.

Sheila Hancock discusses continuing to work and take on physical challenges at nearly 85, including climbing Scotland’s Suilven for the film Edie. She explains her enthusiasm for the stage adaptation of Harold and Maude, whose unconventional romance explores relationships across generations. Hancock reflects on her Quaker beliefs, her pro-European outlook after Brexit, and her qualified support for Theresa May. She also speaks candidly about the enduring grief and love surrounding her late husband John Thaw, while rejecting the image of herself as a bitter widow and emphasizing the importance of living adventurously.

Martina Cole discusses her rise from a single mother in Essex to one of Britain’s most commercially successful crime writers, having sold more than 16 million books. She describes her novels as gritty but anti-violence, focusing on women affected by criminal men, and explains how real-world developments such as CCTV and DNA profiling complicate plotting. Cole also recalls her documentaries on girl gangs and female killers, her writing classes in prisons, her views on the Hatton Garden robbers and sentencing, and her continuing ambition to write rather than retire.