The Oldie

The idea for the Oldie was cooked up 25 years ago by its founding editor, Richard Ingrams, and his much-lamented successor, the late Alexander Chancellor. Their aim was to create a free-thinking, funny magazine, a light-hearted alternative to a press obsessed with youth and celebrity. The Oldie is ageless and timeless, free of retirement advice, crammed with rejuvenating wit, intelligence and delight. With over 100 pages in every issue, The Oldie is packed with funny cartoons and free-thinking and intelligent articles covering a wide range of topics – from gardening and books to travel, arts, entertainment, and so much more.

The Oldie

Among this month’s contributors

The Old Un’s Notes

NOT MANY DEAD • Important stories you may have missed

GREAT BORES OF TODAY - LAST ORDERS

I happen to like New York • In Manhattan, I met Anna Wintour, Fran Lebowitz and the Queen - who reunited Roo with Winnie-the-Pooh

How I got off on the wrong foot • Setting off for Dorset, I had a disastrous wardrobe malfunction

OLDEN LIFE

MODERN LIFE

The Singing Defectives • Top actors and comedians often made albums. Andrew Roberts salutes the highs - and extreme lows

God’s architect • On the centenary of Antoni Gaudí’s death, Peter Stanford remembers a genius with one heavenly client

Encore, maestros! • Roger Lewis adores Face the Music - the music panel show from the days when TV was clever and funny

Funeral blues • When Sharon Griffiths missed a dear friend’s funeral, she made plans for her own - well-attended - send-off

In My Life – as John Lennon • Alex Gold is one of hundreds of imitation Beatles who tour the world – and often fall out in spectacular fashion

Pet peeves • The tiny things that make people annoying.

Catchy catchphrases • From Arthur Askey to Ricky Gervais, comics have refined the art of the perfect one-liner.

Weddings from Hell • At the altar, Rev Michael Coren has witnessed unfaithful grooms, drunks and families at war

Rage against the dying of the light • Our lives are now longer – and more boring.

What goes on tour… • Charles Fitzroy looks back on 40 years of showing groups the world’s great art treasures

Lights, camera, clichés! • Joseph Connolly on predictable films

The Great Exhibition - of 2026 • Thanks to shrewd Prince Albert, the show still goes on

Last of the Old Stagers • Simon Berry, a member of the oldest amateur dramatic company in the world, reveres the endangered art of am-dram

Time for a classic watch • After near-oblivion, thanks to mobile phones, unflashy wristwatches are back in vogue, thank God

A walk in the park with Hockney

Hungary’s fatal lack of interest • Seventy years after the Budapest revolution, Mary Kenny salutes the great capitalist joy - compound interest

Father’s on the road to nowhere • He’s losing his licence - and Mother’s driving me mad

My car’s been nicked. Yippee!

Am I really Wiltshire’s Capability Brown?

The real Dad’s Army • A new book on the Home Guard shows how true to life the TV show was

Please, God, spare me from the wild child

Madonna’s funny side

Dave Ker (1951-2025)

The fatty guide to avoiding dementia • Full-fat cheese and cream might protect your brain

Jack Nicklaus

Big knickers day at the liver salts factory

READERS’ LETTERS • The Oldie, 23-31 Great Titchfield Street, London, W1W 7PA letters@theoldie.co.uk To sign up for our e-newsletter, go to www.theoldie.co.uk

Clever Russian doll

Murders most foul

The Infamous Five

In the swim

Fry’s delights

Scots pine

Commonplace...