YoungWillz 21,205 Posted June 30, 2018 Melvyn Bragg, Baron Bragg is, one can only ascribe the term, a British legend. A novelist, a screenwriter, a broadcaster and now elevated to the peerage, he has come a long way from his working class roots in Wigton in the North of England. Well known for presenting the ITV Arts programme The South Bank Show for 22 years, he is much more than that. He has not had his troubles to seek however in his personal life, having suffered two well discussed breakdowns, and he supports Arsenal. He is well worthy of a thread of his own in my opinion. He becomes 80 next year and has recently been doing the rounds of the media, giving interviews hither and thither. What caught my eye were: This interview with his daughter a couple of years ago with the Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/bbc/11762778/Melvyn-Braggs-daughter-My-father-has-been-a-tortured-man-all-my-life.html An interview with The Guardian a few days ago, in which he reveals he had a hip operation which has led to some form of lingering pneumonia: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jun/26/britain-is-becoming-a-stupid-country-melvyn-bragg-says A more recent headline story in The Times (sadly behind a paywall) about his suicidal thoughts: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bragg-i-haven-t-used-tube-since-considering-suicide-nrxfjt8wm 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YoungWillz 21,205 Posted May 31, 2020 Obituary for Tony Cash, co-creator of The South Bank Show and sometime producer and director, most interestingly of the artsy/sketch show Full House: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2020/05/31/tony-cash-co-creator-south-bank-show-changed-arts-landscape/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 10,684 Posted May 31, 2020 On 30/06/2018 at 02:44, YoungWillz said: Melvyn Bragg, Baron Bragg is, one can only ascribe the term, a British legend. A novelist, a screenwriter, a broadcaster and now elevated to the peerage, he has come a long way from his working class roots in Wigton in the North of England. Well known for presenting the ITV Arts programme The South Bank Show for 22 years, he is much more than that. He has not had his troubles to seek however in his personal life, having suffered two well discussed breakdowns, and he supports Arsenal. He is well worthy of a thread of his own in my opinion. He becomes 80 next year and has recently been doing the rounds of the media, giving interviews hither and thither. What caught my eye were: This interview with his daughter a couple of years ago with the Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/bbc/11762778/Melvyn-Braggs-daughter-My-father-has-been-a-tortured-man-all-my-life.html An interview with The Guardian a few days ago, in which he reveals he had a hip operation which has led to some form of lingering pneumonia: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jun/26/britain-is-becoming-a-stupid-country-melvyn-bragg-says A more recent headline story in The Times (sadly behind a paywall) about his suicidal thoughts: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bragg-i-haven-t-used-tube-since-considering-suicide-nrxfjt8wm Man, I thought the MMMDP was uneventful! This thread didn't even draw attention when he turned 80 His daughter - who is a vicar btw - presented Thought for the Day on Radio Four yesterday. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YoungWillz 21,205 Posted May 4, 2021 Bragg's ex-wife, the author and historian Cate Haste, has died aged 75: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cate-haste-obituary-5c09jgkq8 (Paywall) 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
msc 18,536 Posted May 4, 2021 1 hour ago, YoungWillz said: Bragg's ex-wife, the author and historian Cate Haste, has died aged 75: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cate-haste-obituary-5c09jgkq8 (Paywall) Oh that's a shame. She put together Clarissa Eden's memoirs for her (and rather oddly Eden insisted on them ending when Anthony died, when she lived another 30+ years at that point!). 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ulitzer95 12,844 Posted November 16, 2021 On 04/05/2021 at 17:15, YoungWillz said: Bragg's ex-wife, the author and historian Cate Haste, has died aged 75: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cate-haste-obituary-5c09jgkq8 (Paywall) Turns out Haste wrote Clarissa Eden's Guardian obit! 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sean 6,365 Posted November 16, 2021 3 hours ago, Ulitzer95 said: Turns out Haste wrote Clarissa Eden's Guardian obit! You know someone has reached a ripe old age when they outlive their obituary writers. 8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
markb4 907 Posted November 17, 2021 5 hours ago, Sean said: You know someone has reached a ripe old age when they outlive their obituary writers. I remember something similar happened when Bob Hope died. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibliogryphon 9,645 Posted April 28, 2022 I have mentioned this before but I was listening to In Our Time this morning and Melvyn Bragg was sounding scratchier than usual 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 10,684 Posted April 28, 2022 13 hours ago, Bibliogryphon said: I have mentioned this before but I was listening to In Our Time this morning and Melvyn Bragg was sounding scratchier than usual Aye, was whipping up a brunch omlette whilst they discussed martyrdom. I love the shameless highbrowness of the whole thing and also agree he sounded a little wheezier than usual. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YoungWillz 21,205 Posted June 13, 2022 Bragg has a book out so he's done a very brief and, I warn you, uninteresting interview with The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/jun/11/melvyn-bragg-my-daughter-conducted-my-marriage-service- Here's the last couple of lines though: Melvyn Bragg’s memoir, Back in the Day, is out now: £21.75 at guardianbookshop.com. Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 (UK/Ireland) or email jo@samaritans.org Surely his book isn't THAT bad.... 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcreptile 11,073 Posted July 1, 2023 Melvyn Bragg had "various cancers" recently, prostate cancer and melanoma: https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/1784696/Melvyn-Bragg-Health-Cancer-bbc-radio-4 He's been quite ill for four years now, but keeps working. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibliogryphon 9,645 Posted July 1, 2023 2 hours ago, gcreptile said: Melvyn Bragg had "various cancers" recently, prostate cancer and melanoma: https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/1784696/Melvyn-Bragg-Health-Cancer-bbc-radio-4 He's been quite ill for four years now, but keeps working. There have been occasions on In Our Time where he has sounded weak or short of breath. Hope they carry on the show when he decides to call it a day 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
