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Philippa Gregory

Michael Berkeley鈥檚 guest is the historical novelist Philippa Gregory, whose stories from the Tudor and Plantagenet courts have become bestsellers worldwide.

Philippa Gregory has been called the 鈥楺ueen of Historical Fiction鈥�. The English royal court has inspired many of her best-selling titles, and she鈥檚 written sixteen novels about the Plantagenets and Tudors. One of them 鈥� The Other Boleyn Girl 鈥� became a 麻豆社 TV drama and a Hollywood movie starring Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman.

This success probably surprised her A level teachers: she says she found history 鈥榠nsanely boring鈥� at school, but her passion was fired at university. She鈥檚 also written non-fiction, notably seeking the stories of what she calls 鈥榥ormal women鈥� over 900 years. More recently she鈥檚 returned to the Tudors, with a novel called Boleyn Traitor, focussing on the intrigue surrounding Anne鈥檚 sister-in-law, Jane.

Her music choices include Mozart, Philip Glass, Scott Joplin and the Mazurka from Coppelia by Leo Delibes.

Producer: Katy Hickman

Available now

56 minutes

Last on

Sun 15 Feb 2026 12:00
麻豆社 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • L茅o Delibes

    Delibes: Copp茅lia - Tableau 1: Pr茅lude - Mazurka

    Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
    • With Love From Vienna.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 8.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Jesu, Joy of man's desiring (Cantata No 147)

    Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan. Choir: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus. Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki.
    • Bach Cantatas Vol 12.
    • BIS.
    • 10.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 - II. Andante con moto

    Orchestra: Royal Northern Sinfonia. Conductor: Thomas Zehetmair.
    • Bartok, Casken, Beethoven.
    • ECM New Series.
    • 1.

  • John Kander

    All That Jazz

    Lyricist: Fred Ebb. Music Arranger: Peter Howard. Singer: Chita Rivera. Orchestra: Chicago Orchestra. Choir: Chicago Ensemble. Conductor: Stan Lebowsky.
    • Chicago: A Musical Vaudeville (Original Broadway Cast Recording).
    • Masterworks Broadway.
    • 2.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Soave sia il vento (Cos矛 fan tutte)

    Singer: Miah Persson. Singer: Christine Rice. Singer: Bryn Terfel. Orchestra: Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • Mozart: Tutto Mozart!: Bryn Terfel/Sir Charles Mackerras.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 3.

  • Nat King Cole

    That's All

    • Nat king Cole 100 Greatest Hits - The Ultimate Collection.
    • AudioSonic Music.
    • 14.

  • Fr茅d茅ric Chopin

    Nocturne in E flat major, Op 9 No 2

    Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy.
    • Chopin: The Solo Piano Works: Ashkenazy.
    • London.
    • 2.

  • Philip Glass

    Confrontation and Rescue (Satyagraha)

    Choir: New York City Opera Chorus. Orchestra: New York City Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Christopher Keene.
    • Glass: Satyagraha.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 1.

  • Arthur Sullivan

    If you go in, you're sure to win (Iolanthe)

    Lyricist: William Gilbert. Singer: Thomas Round. Singer: Donald Adams. Singer: John Reed. Orchestra: New Symphony Orchestra of London. Conductor: Isidore Godfrey.
    • The World of Gilbert & Sullivan.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 16.

  • Scott Joplin

    Bethena

    Performer: William Albright.
    • Marches, Waltzes & Rags of Scott joplin.
    • MusicMasters.
    • 10.

Broadcast

  • Sun 15 Feb 2026 12:00
    麻豆社 Radio 3

Podcast

  • Private Passions

    Guests from all walks of life discuss their musical passions.