CATHERINE THE GREAT

On the 25th anniversary of the bestselling author’s death, Caroline Roope turns the pages of the remarkable backstory of Dame Catherine Cookson

The Girl from Mars

Chris Hallam looks back to when Helen Sharman became the first Briton in space

Ready for Action!

Paul Carey looks at the work of special effects designer Derek Meddings, which included the Thunderbirds series and the James Bond franchise

POSTCARD FROM BELFAST

Bob Barton goes in search of the Chronicles of Narnia author CS Lewis, steps back in time, learns more about the story of the Titanic and goes to the theatre

THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF LESLIE HOWARD

John Greeves looks at the untimely death of the Gone With the Wind star amid speculation this was an attempt by the Nazis to kill Winston Churchill

Cereal Thriller

Simon Stabler joins the breakfast club

The Fall and Rise of Tony Hancock

Robert Ross examines the continuing legacy of the lad himself

Dame Mary Quant

The fashion designer Dame Mary Quant has died. She was 93.

Declaring a Display

The Declaration of Arbroath, a letter urging Pope John XXII to recognise Scotland’s independence and acknowledge Robert the Bruce as the country’s lawful king, will go on display at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh (0300 123 6789, nms. ac.uk/national-museum-of-scotland) from 3 June to 2 July.

BACK IN TIME WITH COLIN BAKER

BoB’s very own Time Lord shares fond memories of the stars of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), and reminds us that the leaf doesn’t fall far from the tree

Chapter and Verse

The National Trust’s latest publication highlights the range and variety of 100 intriguing books from its vast collection

Halfway to Paradise

Pete Nelson remembers singer-songwriter Billy Fury

An Elizabethan Evening

Kevin Geddes looks back on the BBC's “experiment in time”, which imagined how television would have looked during the time of Queen Elizabeth I

Royal Relics

As souvenirs fill the shops ahead of the coronation of King Charles III, Susan Brewer looks back at previous commemorative memorabilia

Travelling Well

Chris Hallam looks back on the political career of Michael Portillo, now better known as a presenter of travel documentaries for television

"Time's Up!"

Chris Hallam pays tribute to Betty Boothroyd, the first female speaker of the House of Commons

WOODEN WONDERS

More than a century ago, the Lanchester brothers began producing motorcars that were years ahead of their time

The Queen of Beers

As beers commemorating the King’s coronation hit the pubs and off licences, Simon Stabler raises a glass to a beer brewed to mark the last such event

POSTCARD FROM BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Bob Barton goes in search of the cherry to top off his visit, revives fond childhood memories of carpentry with Grandad, and is transfixed by the variety of houses

BEATING THE BLITZ

Steven Taylor delves into the archives and unearths some of Winston Churchill’s bizarre schemes to defeat the Luftwaffe’s night-time bombing offensive of Britain

Dreaming of Jeannie

Simon Stabler talks to actress Annette Andre, a star of the detective series Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)

INCREDIBLE TELEVISION CONTENT

Will Barber-Taylor tells the story of the hit-making production and distribution company ITC

Kate's Lasting Legacy

Artist Kate Greenaway managed to influence fashion in two separate centuries, as Susan Brewer reveals

Summer Wine and Worzel Weather

For some actors, their first steps into the profession are often hindered by their parents’ desire for them to “get a proper job”. Not so Sarah Thomas, who played Glenda in the sitcom Last of the Summer Wine.

IN THE FRAME

From the first appearance of the pedal-driven bicycle, sometime in the 1860s, to the end of the 19th century, the bicycle underwent considerable changes in design, largely to accommodate the various inventions that improved the machine.

A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE

Jenny Seagrove has famously starred in television series such as A Woman of Substance and Judge John Deed, films like Local Hero and Another Mother's Son, not to mention countless touring and West End plays.

Keeping the Receipt

Claire Saul learns about \"Mrs\" Crocombe, Audley End House & Gardens' Victorian cook who has become a global culinary sensation

POSTCARD FROM GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Bob Barton takes up a new hobby of waterway spotting, is tempted to run away with the circus, goes to jail and discovers where a hit record producer was born

THE MIGHTY METEOR

On 5 March it will be the 80th anniversary of the Gloster Meteor’s maiden flight.

Avid Bird Watchers

Small, gentle and well-spoken, John Bird, who died in December 2022 at the age of 86, might not have seemed like an obvious figure to terrorise the political establishment.