Don't be shy, send me a message! There were no strange stories about travelling on the busses here in the UK for the first few months, then suddenly, three mad stories all come along at once! I hope you enjoy this episode, recorded once again as I was out and about on a country walk. There's a bit of wind at the beginning, but I realized when I was recording and found a better spot. So, all very clear after the 5 minute mark. Enjoy the sounds of the birds and the lambs. I also sang with...
Jun 27, 2022•15 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! I've been back home for 3 months now... how is it wearing on me? Honestly, watching ' The Spy Who Loved Me ' (1977) in the cinema was pretty cool, and attending the Institution, Induction and Installation of the new Dean of Bradford Cathedral was wonderful. I talk about these two events, my house-hunting, and reflect on the last 3 months. Enjoy! You can also follow Bradford Cathedral on Youtube , Instagram and Facebook . You can find me on Inst...
Jun 20, 2022•13 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! In this episode, I respond to questions from my Instagram friends over at @flemingneverdies Who should be the next James Bond? Should 007 ever look at British 'street culture' like Kingsman? Why do British people have terrible teeth? Are red trousers okay? Why do people think UK food is appalling? Why do British people love curry, when it isn't British? Why do Brits have milk in their tea? All this and more. Thank you to everyone who asked thes...
Jun 13, 2022•18 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Britain has just celebrated Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee with a four-day national holiday. Rather than do a Deep Dive into the life and times of the Queen, which is done elsewhere and done well, I recorded my own audio diary as I joined celebrations in North and then West Yorkshire. Thank you very much to the City of Bradford Brass Band with Jonny Bates Musical Director, for allowing me to play some of their music here. You can find them at: http://w...
Jun 06, 2022•16 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Just a quick slice of life from me this week. I haven't been travelling, except to go to Ilkley to take a friend to Bettys Tea Room (no apostrophe) . I talk about that, look forward to the Platinum Jubilee coming up, and tell a tie story too. A fuller episode coming next week. You can find me on Instagram: @FlemingNeverDies You can e-mail me: [email protected] Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/britishculture Check out my Red B...
May 30, 2022•12 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! After the last episode went out, I was flooded with responses to my question, "What's the most interesting UK/US differences?" - Thank you to everyone who contacted me! I also talk about toilet twinning, the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway , and Howarth's 1940s weekend . With plenty to talk about, I still find time to digress to talk about Michael Portillo's career, with the excuse that someone did message me about his TV shows. I e...
May 23, 2022•22 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! I've largely avoided comparisons between UK and US culture until now, despite it being a terribly popular topic online. It's really a whole sub-genre, and there are some people putting out great content on this topic, but it was a video by David Zarinksky - better known as 'The Bond Experience' - that has prompted me to make this episode. His video, with Calvin Dyson , is called " USA vs UK Bond Fans | The Differences and the Similari...
May 16, 2022•40 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! In this episode, I ask three fellas in a pub in London, "What's the most British thing you've seen today?" - but these aren't just any random fellas: I'm talking to Pete Brooker of " From Tailors With Love ", Daniel Gaster (who writes for the ' tailors ' blog), and Chris, better known as @BritishBondAddict . You can find them all on Instagram, and see a variety of photos we took at a recent meet up. Pete Brook...
May 08, 2022•15 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! That job interview I mentioned in "Back in Britain #2"? I got the job!! Telling them it was my birthday was clearly a good idea during the interview! I'm really looking forward to it. In this episode, I talk about visiting: Sheffield , and meeting Peter Brooker ( From Tailors With Love) Pontefract , and eating Pontefract Cakes in Pontefract castle. Check out my Youtube channel for two videos, one on the history and one on the cakes ! Bradford t...
May 02, 2022•11 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! The Alphabet of Britishness is back! Thank you to all those who suggested the following: R is for… Royalty R is for… Royal Warrants R is for… Royal Navy R is for… Royal Air Force R is for… (Walter) Raleigh R is for… Robin Hood R is for… Remembrance Day R is for… Railroads R is for… Risico R is for… Roger Moore R is for… Range Rover R is for… Regiments R is for… Rules Restaurant …and more! You can find me on Instagram: @FlemingNeverDies You can e-mail me: Albi...
Apr 25, 2022•50 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! This week, I talk to Caine (normally in Fuzhou) about St. George's Day, which is coming very soon. It is often taken as a celebration of English culture and identity. But, who was St. George, where was he from, why is he important to the English, and how can you celebrate this special day? We ask "Does it matter that St. George wasn't English?" and I feel we get a definitive answer. Check out Caine's Youtube channel, called 'Vide...
Apr 18, 2022•34 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! This week, I talk to Edward Biddulph, author of ' License to Cook ' and the blog ' James Bond Food '. We discuss his new book COMING SOON called ' Double-0 Dining ' from the publishers Bear Manor Media. We ask "Does Bond like Marmite?" and I feel we get a definitive answer. For those who don't know, Marmite is a British condiment, normally spread on toast, with the slogan, "You either love it or you hate it&qu...
Apr 11, 2022•36 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! The end of March consisted mostly of snow, an art exhibition, a trip to Derby and Nottingham, and the Derby Telegraph . I'm now over jet-lag and enjoying catching up with old friends and new sights. As I go through the local Derby newspaper, Alfred Chocolate Yumyum is with me once again, although largely silent. Must discuss his voiceover rate. These actors... ...Oh, and I have a job interview on my birthday. Worth mentioning in the interview? You can fi...
Apr 03, 2022•26 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! A quick episode, quickly put together as I am still settling back into life back in Britain. I give some of my personal updates, like visiting the exhibition ‘ Top Secret ’ at Bradford’s Science + Media Museum. I then browse the Telegraph and Argus , Bradford’s local newspaper. I look at: A gas engineer who uncovered an organised crime A ‘Miss Hitler’ beauty pageant contestant now in prison A young couple who used to grow cannabis but have apparently made a l...
Mar 28, 2022•16 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! This is my live audio diary as I return to the UK after 7 years away, recorded at: LAX airport; London Heathrow Airport; an airport hotel; and in a town and the countryside in beautiful West Yorkshire. I intend this to be a series, charting my own responses and reactions as I return to my home country. Is this still the same country I remember? Will it still strike me the same way? We shall find out together. You can find me on Instagram: @FlemingNeverDies Yo...
Mar 21, 2022•23 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Bill Koenig runs " The Spy Command " blog which provides news and commentary about James Bond, “The Other Spies,” and other entertainment-related topics. You can find his blog at: https://hmssweblog.wordpress.com E-mail me at: [email protected] Check out my Youtube channel at: www.youtube.com/britishculture Support the show...
Mar 15, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! A 'shallow dive' or a quick briefing about Wales, a beautiful and interesting country, part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but often overlooked. I try to correct that a little here. I talk about an impressive weatherman ( Liam Dutton ), small things, cute things, and the * real * home of tennis. I also explain what's coming up on my Youtube channel , and this podcast now we're nearing the end of 'The Alph...
Mar 07, 2022•18 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! This is the 17th episode in 'The Alphabet of Britishness'. I ask, what could possibly be more British than the Queen? Many, many people requested this topic. Rather than doing a simple biography of well known monarchs such as Queen Elizabeth II or Queen Victoria, I've taken a look at three lessor known, but equally interesting, female rulers: Queen Boadicea, Empress Matilda, and Lady Jane Grey. I also can't resist touching on Eleanor of Aq...
Feb 28, 2022•55 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! After the popularity of the previous episode looking at local news stories, I have another roundup of the goings on in Yorkshire's local newspapers. I start with news of a storm from the Yorkshire Post (founded 1754) and the Ilkley Gazette . I move onto a serious crime case from the Telegraph and Argus , before delving into the local take on the Prime Minister's 'Partygate' scandal as seen by a Yorkshire notable . In the second half, I loo...
Feb 22, 2022•21 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! We start with the interview with Matt Spaiser, author of " From Tailors with Love: An Evolution of Menswear Through the Bond Films ". We look at the clothing influences of two Princes of Wales, Prince Charles and his grand-uncle, once known as Edward VIII then as the Duke of Winsor. After that, I take a look at: P is for the Plantagenates (minute 44) P is for Pound Stirling (minute 47) P is for Ian Paisley (minute 50) P is for Protestantism (minute ...
Feb 15, 2022•1 hr 32 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Joe Darlington began his podcast ' Being James Bond ' back in 2006. He is a published author and a much loved member of the 'James Bond community' on Instagram and Youtube . This is a wide ranging discussion, which does touch on events in the latest 007 film, "No Time To Die", without dwelling on it. Plenty elsewhere for that! Support the show...
Feb 08, 2022•56 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! There is so much to say about Oliver Cromwell that this is really just my first attempt at the topic. There is so much more, I recommend the documentary on Youtube called " Oliver Cromwell And The English Civil War - Full Documentary ", and the 1970 movie starring Richard Harris (also known as Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone). I love the scene of Charles I entering parliament , even though it's probably the most inac...
Feb 01, 2022•1 hr 2 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! In June 2022 a team will land on Rockall Island, more than 200 nautical miles from the West Coast of Scotland and the nearest civilisation. Their intention is to survive on the island for one week and to raise £1,000,000 for Children’s Hospice South West & The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity. https://www.rockall2022.org/ Support the show...
Jan 25, 2022•21 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! This week, I start by looking at the UK's National Health Service. I look at an academic study examining the differences in healthcare in the UK and US. It provides the perspective of two twin sisters who were both successfully treated for the same cancer, one in the UK and one in the US. I then look at how the NHS was represented at the 2012 Summer Olympic opening ceremony, why this caused a controversy, and remember the weekly 'clap for our carers...
Jan 17, 2022•53 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! This week I take a look at some local newspapers, the first is from Northern Ireland but the others are all from Yorkshire, including Bradford's Telegraph and Argus , the Ilkley Gazette , Keighley News , and the Hull Daily Mail . I live the little insights into life in the UK that they give. You can contact me on Instagram , or by e-mail ([email protected]) Check out my Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/britishculture Check out my Red Bubbl...
Jan 10, 2022•24 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Thank you so much to everyone who sent in their suggestions, and thank you all the well wishes after my last episode. I very much appreciated every one of them. My questions for everyone this week are: What do you think of Margaret Thatcher? Why does 'M' stand for 'Mother' in the Alphabet of Britishness!? What should come after the Alphabet of Britishness You can contact me on Instagram , by e-mail ([email protected]), or by commen...
Jan 04, 2022•45 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Yes, I tested positive for COVID over the holiday season. Oh well. In this podcast, I talk about my experience over the pandemic; living in China, then travelling through Hong Kong to the United States. I make a few observations and remarks on what I've seen and experienced, and talk about what's coming up in the podcast for 2022. This episode was brought to you by the power of lots of rest and cups of Yorkshire tea. Support the show...
Dec 28, 2021•10 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Merry Christmas! A special mini-episode where I look back at a busy month - three 007 reviews, two on this podcast and one on Youtube . I look back at 'C' is for 'crumpets' and my (limited) progress in that area. I admit, I've gotten no further in my investigation as to whether I should say 'scone' or 'scone'. Also: coming up... 'M' is for 'Monarchy'. Finally, if you haven't listened to my ...
Dec 25, 2021•6 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! Spoiler, spoiler, spoiler review of the latest 007 film! Hopefully you've all had the time to go and see it by now! Donnie of 'Quantum of History' (on Instagram and Youtube ) joins me for an in-depth reflection. We're looking at the broader strokes, issues and choices raised by the 25thJames Bond film from EON Productions. If you haven't checked out Donnie's work, please do (you can occasionally find me there too). Quantum of His...
Dec 21, 2021•55 min
Don't be shy, send me a message! This special episode has *two* guests; Instagram’s ‘ @BritishBondAddict ’ and the prolific blogger, podcaster, Youtuber, and author ‘ From Tailors With Love ’ (Pete Brooker). Both help me out with the main topic, London. For this episode, I was very much inspired by the printing, design and media company ‘London Sans’, which I talk about a little. you can find their work on Instagram at @LondonSans . I also talk about Lancashire, the Duchy of Lancaster, the C...
Dec 14, 2021•1 hr 3 min
