By Carole Dennett
Gyles Brandreth, distinguished broadcaster, author and former MP, returned to the Isle of Wight Literary Festival with his signature blend of charisma, smiles, and one of his trademark, whimsical jumpers. He was a popular speaker at the inaugural festival in 2012, and the organisers were delighted to welcome him back.
Gyles’ affection for the Island is clear. “I’m so excited and thrilled to be back on the Isle of Wight,” he declared, weaving amusing anecdotes into a trip down memory lane.
He fondly recalls his first trip to the Island in 1953, the year of the Coronation. Family ties make the Island even more special, particularly those with his late sister. “Hester loved the Island,” he reminisces. “She moved here and ran a guest house near Freshwater and worked in Parkhurst Prison as a drugs rehabilitation officer.” Hester is commemorated with a bench on Colwell Common, a tribute from her loving brother and sisters.
Gyles spoke passionately about the Island’s literature and history, and the iconic figures who shaped it, skipping quickly from Queen Victoria to Lord Tennyson and to Julia Margaret Cameron, “a friend of Lewis Carroll”. He also enjoyed filming at the Donald McGill postcard museum in Ryde for The One Show, proudly declaring himself as not at all politically correct – and was delighted to hear that the IW Observer shares his view. “Normal people being allowed to speak the way they wish,” he enthused.
As well as entertaining his audience with tales and jokes, Gyles was also promoting his latest books, “Prose and Cons in Just a Minute,” inspired by the BBC radio show, Just a Minute, and a biography of our late Queen, “Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait,” which shot to the top of the Sunday Times bestseller list.
But, in true Brandreth fashion, he didn’t stick to what he was supposed to be talking about. He was just as eager to discuss “Breaking the Code,” his political diaries, and “The Seven Secrets of Happiness,” a collaboration with Professor Anthony Clare.
For this irrepressible raconteur, the IW Literary Festival is very much about relationships. Accompanied by his wife, Michelle, he joined an array of their old friends, including Susie Dent, Sophie Raworth and Clare Balding. Richard Ottaway, a former MP who has a home in Cowes, joined him on stage to discuss his books. The pair were in parliament together in the ’90s. “It’s just an old friends’ convention,” he joked. His humour flows as easily as his anecdotes; when told his talk in Cowes Enterprise College, seating more than 500, was a sell-out, he quipped: “My wife says to me, Gyles, you sold out years ago.”
A tale from the recent general election involves his daughter, Aphra, who’s followed in his footsteps and was elected as an MP in July. While campaigning, a sceptical householder inquired why he should vote for her. Gyles, with pride, cited her integrity and intelligence. “Are you sure she’s your daughter?” came the cutting retort.
A patron of the British Piers Society, Gyles visited Ryde for the 200th anniversary of Ryde Pier with Timothy West and Prunella Scales – an unexpected destination given he initially mistook the society for a group linked to the House of Lords. “Absolutely,” he said, when asked if he wanted to join; “At last, at last,” I thought. “My time on the red benches has come. I was so surprised when they said I needed to travel to Ryde – I thought I would be going to Westminster.”
An advocate for the printed word, Gyles was enthusiastic about the IW Observer. “To have created a successful newspaper at a time when local papers are struggling all across the country is a real achievement,” he noted.
Hidden below that fluffy, eccentric exterior is a clearly razor sharp mind. After all, he has around 50 books to his name and he was friendly with Prince Philip for years – who was not known for suffering fools gladly.
Proud of his role as a trustee of the Queen’s Reading Room, founded by Queen Camilla, Gyles’s dedication to promoting literacy is unwavering. “The joy of reading,” he asserts, “is a treasure to be shared and cherished, much like the IW Literary Festival itself.”
