Don't be shy, send me a message! The new James Bond video game releases at the end of this month, but how 'British' will this latest iteration of 007 really be? This is a no spoilers look at everything we've seen so far, as I ask first 'What is Britishness?' (as always), ponder the relevance of medium (games in particular), before picking out a few things I noticed in the various playthroughs I've watched of the game itself. Nothing to spoil surprises, just little things to look out for. My reco...
May 04, 2026•37 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton talks about the issues that really matter, getting a (slightly) nicer coffee and a gluten-free muffin in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. He compares this to doing much the same in Bingley, West Yorkshire, UK. He also compares a range of more important stories, from therapy dogs and robots to a very familiar fake doctor at a hospital. The most important story in the world: https://www.ftbchambers.co.uk/news/news-view/planning-permission-gr...
Apr 20, 2026•32 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton has worked in Turkish Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UK, and China. Here, he sets out three models for understanding the different working cultures in different countries, and illustrates them with some of his own experiences. First, Derek Silvers’ 2 minute 38 second TED Talk, drawing particularly on his experience in Japan. A quick and very basic look at 'weird or just different', which is nonetheless a good starting point, and a good rem...
Apr 06, 2026•38 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton shares his experiences from a month in Chengdu (Sichuan Province, China). He previously lived in Shenzhen (Guangdong Province) 2015-2021 and Turkish Cyprus 2001-2008 – he draws on both these experiences as he discusses how experience, language ability, and the company we keep can shape our perceptions of culture. Naturally, he talks about some Chengdu highlights a little, so skip to the end if that’s what you are primarily interested… or li...
Mar 24, 2026•41 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton draws upon six years in China and knowledge of Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 to give an insight into how the series has merged fact and fiction, for the most part without friction. Books, websites, and movies mentioned: The World of Suzie Wong by Richard Mason Thrilling Cities by Ian Fleming Dr No by Ian Fleming Tong Wars: The Untold Story of Vice, Money, and Murder in New York's Chinatown by Scott D. Seligman The Good Immigrants: How the Ye...
Mar 10, 2026•48 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton talks about the 'cozy crime' genre, drawing on a range of suggestions from TV and film critics, academics, and his own friends. Thomas even has a special guest contribution from Jon Auty, host of 'Behind the Stunts' and 'The Bond Buzz', do check those out. Suggested reading: 'Identity and nostalgia in a globalised world: Investigating the international popularity of Midsomer Murders' by Tiffany Bergin at the University of Cambridge (UK) 'Th...
Feb 24, 2026•41 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton talks to Alex Lamas ( Instagram @sifu_lamas / Youtube @ @yestoadventure007 ) about his love of movies set in the British Empire. This includes Zulu (1964), Zulu Dawn (1979), Breaker Morant (1980), Four Feathers (1939), Gunga Din (1939), The Wind and the Lion (1975), and two we focus on particularly; The Man Who Would Be King (1979) with Sean Connery and Micheal Caine and Lawrence of Arabia (1962) with Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif. He also ...
Feb 10, 2026•40 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton talks about 'the Britishness' of one of the most famous murder mysteries in the world... with no spoilers! He talks about the themes, characters, places, and ideas that shape this remarkable story from Agatha Christie. He also gives a guide to the key adaptations in film, TV, and audio. Support the show https://www.albionneverdies.com/...
Jan 20, 2026•33 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton interview Garvan Rushe about Irish culture, gaining an insight into the British-Irish connection. Garvan runs Dublin Tour Guide , a boutique tour company known for its personalised, privately guided walks through Dublin. With more than fifteen years of guiding experience, he specialises in creating made-to-measure tours for small groups, shaping each experience around what guests truly care about. Over the years, he has also developed and m...
Dec 30, 2025•59 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton talks to David Zaritsky of 'The Bond Experience' about the Britishness of 1969's James Bond 007 adventure, 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'. The movie has an Australian star, an American and a Canadian producer, and was certainly made for export... so why does this film feel so extremely 'British'? Listen to find out! You can find David at: Instagram: @thebondexperience Youtube: www.youtube.com/thebondexperience Podcast: Search 'The Bond E...
Dec 16, 2025•30 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton interviews Calvin Dyson , one of the first people to set up a 007-themed Youtube channel, and asks 'Which is the 'most British' James Bond film?'. Don't worry, we *do* talk about the TV animated series 'James Bond Jr.'! https://www.youtube.com/calvindyson Thomas adds a fun fact about the ending For Your Eyes Only, which ultimately comes from the John Glen book 'For My Eyes Only', hardback edition page 115. It did not come from 'a man down t...
Dec 02, 2025•44 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton continues The Alphabet of Britishness , looking especially at Queen Victoria. The first ten minutes covers: Thomas’ top three cinematic and TV depictions of Queen Victoria Mrs. Brown (1997) The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) Doctor Who “Tooth and Claw” (modern season 2, episode 2) ...and also in brief some other 'V' topics such as: Victoria & Albert Museum Vauxhall (London) Vermouth Vesper (seems silly not to) Victory! Although ...
Nov 18, 2025•37 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton interviews the CEO of Shogun Films, Jonathan Sothcott . https://www.shogunfilms.com/ Jonathan Sothcott is one of the UK's most experienced and successful independent producers with a track record of success with high concept, low budget genre films. Described by GQ Magazine as " a film producer behind a whole new generation of on-screen hardmen", a 2021 Sothcott profile piece in The Telegraph noted his movies " have saved our film industry ...
Nov 04, 2025•30 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton talks about life in the UK, examining local news in a little town in West Yorkshire and a visit to London. Whilst the national media is very London-centric, most Brits only see the capital on occasional visits - Thomas has only visited London once in 2025. So, that 'internal tourist' view is given for 10 minutes, with the majority of remaining 20 minutes focussing on local news: missing cats, a rogue roof tile, a swan on the loose, a surpri...
Oct 20, 2025•31 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton celebrates his 200th podcast episode by setting out his most controversial opinion on the James Bond franchise: that 2002's Pierce Brosnan adventure, 'Die Another Day', is a great film. Not one that starts decent and then goes off the rails, not one that is good in concept and but fails in execution - it is an out and out fun action romp of the early 2000s. Thomas is fully aware that there are other opinions, and has taken much advice on th...
Sep 29, 2025•46 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton examines the Britishness of Timothy Dalton's first outing as Ian Fleming's creation, James Bond, 007. Part One: Brits in Afghanistan Thomas touches on iconic imagery, such as the infamous painting, “ The remnants of an army, Jellalabad [sic], January 13, 1842 ”, which is better known as just " Remnants of an Army ". It was painted by Elizabeth Thompson, Lady Butler in 1878, and shows Dr. William Brydon, assistant surgeon in the Bengal Army,...
Sep 15, 2025•42 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton was asked by his friend, and listener to this podcast, David Webber, ‘If you could live in any fantasy universe, which one would it be?’ – this podcast first looks at the concept of 'escapism' and then answers that question in detail! Thomas considers: The world of James Bond, 007 A galaxy far, far away... The world of Harry Potter J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth A couple of extras are touched on at the end, Star Trek Voyager and Dr. Who, and...
Sep 01, 2025•31 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Host Thomas Felix Creighton and British novelist Roland Hulme talk about James Bond in the USA, particularly the three movies set there directed by Guy Hamilton; Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and Live and Let Die (1973). Their talk ranges from Ian Fleming's original 007 novels to contemporary perspectives on American culture. Roland Hulme on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rolandhulme/ Roland Hulme on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/roland...
Aug 18, 2025•29 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton shares his parents’ letters, written from Kuwait in 1978, and reflects on their first experience as Brits in a non-Western country. A huge part of this channel is drawing on Thomas' international experience, so he regularly gets messages asking, ‘why did you live abroad?’ – The usual reply is, ‘My parents started it!’. So, not unreasonably, some people ask, ‘Okay, so why did your parents live abroad?’. One formative experience for the older...
Aug 04, 2025•26 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton examines the Britishness of ‘ Live and Let Die ’, both the 1954 novel by Ian Fleming, and the 1973 movie starring Roger Moore. Contributors include British author in the USA, Roland Hulme, New York based Youtuber Alex Lamas (Always say YES to Adventure), and blogger and writer Matt Spaiser (Bondsuits.com). The main interview at the end is with Peter Brooker, co-author of ‘From Tailors With Love’ (with Matt Spaiser) and ‘Boy Wanted on Savill...
Jul 21, 2025•55 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton talks to Alex (Sifu) Lamas about the trailer for the forthcoming James Bond video game, First Light. Currently a martial arts instructor, Alex Lamas was in the film business for 25 years, working as storyboard artist, assistant art director, and weapons specialist. He’s not a gamer, he played Goldeneye N64 only *twice* in the 1990s. He gives Thomas (a strictly casual gamer) a cinephile’s view on the new video game trailer. You can find Alex...
Jul 07, 2025•36 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton talks about the British perspective on 4th July – American Independence Day. This episode is perfect to listen to as you drive to a family barbeque on the day, giving you fun facts, and a unique perspective you can share! Why is there a triumphal arch close to where this episode was recorded in England, celebrating the American victory? Was 1776 the start of a new identity? What inspired the US constitution? Would slavery have ended sooner ...
Jun 30, 2025•30 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton talks to Oxford historian Dr. Steven Parissien about his forthcoming book, ‘ Another Round – A Post-War History of Britain in 12 Strong Drinks ’ from publisher August Books. We talk about class, age, gender, as factors in British ‘drinking culture’, as well as the UK’s ever changing international outlook, and the effect of marketing, in shaping our trends in drinking. We even talk about the rise of zero alcohol drinks in Britain. So, raise ...
Jun 23, 2025•35 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton interviews Christopher Morales, also known as @ThatOneBondGuy on Instagram and Youtube, to get a Californian's perspective on 1985's James Bond film A View to a Kill . https://www.instagram.com/thatonebondguy https://www.youtube.com/thatonebondguy This final Roger Moore 007 film takes place in San Francisco, for the final hour, close to where Chris lives. Both he and Thomas have enjoyed exploring the locations, so here they happily share th...
Jun 09, 2025•30 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton talks about Britishness in the 1950s, drawing on both academic sources, and family diaries, letters, and recollections. This episode covers family experiences of the Second World War, births in the baby boom, and life in Britain and the Empire in the new Elizabethan Age. Books recommended include: Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945, by Tony Judt, which was previously reviewed on the Youtube channel @BritishCulture ( 007's Retirement Re...
May 26, 2025•42 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton interviews John Glen, who directed five James Bond 007 films, three with Sir Roger Moore KBE in the lead and two with Timothy Dalton: For Your Eyes Only (1981) Octopussy (1983) A View to a Kill (1985) The Living Daylights (1987) License to Kill (1989) He also directed Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992), and worked on The Italian Job (1969), The Admirable Crichton (1957), and was responsible for the iconic parachute jump at the start...
May 12, 2025•32 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thomas Felix Creighton talks about the 1981 James Bond movie Octopussy starring Roger Moore as British secret agent 007. His special guests for this episode include: Daniel Gaster , Instagrammer, blogger, and Youtuber, ' The Field Office' . Marc Henandez , author of “ On the Train Tracks: Filming Octopussy & GoldenEye at Nene Valley Railway ” – presented by ‘ On the Tracks of 007 ’, a well-known book series on James Bond locations. Matt Spaiser , co-author of...
Apr 28, 2025•46 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! I am delighted to be joined by Canon Ned Lunn at Bradford Cathedral for this special Easter episode! I ask him: What is a Canon? What is a Cathedral? What is Easter, for Anglicans? Anglicans are, of course, members of the the Church of England or members of any Church in communion with it. You can find Bradford Cathedral on Youtube: @bfdCathedral Message me anytime on Instagram, @FlemingNeverDies E-mail: AlbionNeverDies@gmail.com Check out my https://www.youtube....
Apr 14, 2025•38 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! April 13th! It's James Bond's birthday today... (oh, and mine!) Check out my SmörgåsBond playlist on Youtube : www.youtube.com/britishculture ...or indeed any of my previous Bond-themed podcast episodes. I always talk about the importance of Ian Fleming, and today marks the publication of his very first James Bond novel, ' Casino Royale '. I recommend three Ian Fleming biographies: "For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond" by Ben Macintyre, for some great ...
Apr 12, 2025•20 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! A real change for the podcast: After 5 years of talking about British culture, it's time to move on and talk about 'The Middle Kingdom', China. I lived in China from 2015-2021, and regularly wrote e-mails to my parents detailing my time there. The first half of the podcast is me reading from these and adding in my reflections almost a decade on. I talk about my first arrival in China, the visa process and settling in at work, as well as a day trip to Hong Kong. T...
Apr 01, 2025•1 hr 8 min
