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Editor Richard Ingrams Assistant editor Sonali Chapman

Sub-editor Deborah Asher

Art editor Joe Buckley Commissioning editor Jeremy Lewis Editorial assistant Charlotte Fairbairn Advertising sales manager Lisa Martin

Senior sales executive Azmi Elkholy

Sales executive Jack Watts Publisher James Pembroke

At large Richard Beatty Our quiet American David Kowitz

Sir Alan John Brown

EDITORIAL Tel: 020 7436 8801 Fax: 020 7436 8804 e-mail: editorial@theoldie.co.uk

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I S S U E 2 7 9 • f e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2

Ed’s letter…

this month will witness not only the 20th anniversary of the launch of TheOldiein 1992 but our annual ‘Oldie of the Year’ awards lunch at Simpson’s-in-the-Strand. I am delighted to welcome our new sponsor for this highly popular event, Baillie Gifford, one of the UK’s largest investment trust managers.

Our panel of judges includes Sir Terry Wogan (chairman), Russell Twisk, Jon Snow, Joan Bakewell and Maureen Lipman. Coincidentally, Maureen has recently recorded for us a collection of her monologues which will be free with all our newsstand copies of the March issue (subscribers see page 11).

CHARD INGRAMS

CONTENTS

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31

i once met… joan collins Mark Ellen dishes the dirt gone to pot Roger Law on the life of a ceramicist in China 46

ABC Primary Figure: 40,402 Subscription rates for 12 issues: UK £37.50; Europe £42; USA £43; Rest of World £52.50

The Oldie is published by Oldie Publications Ltd, 65 Newman Street, London W1T 3EG ISSN 0965-2507. Printed in England by Wyndeham Group

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Cover illustration by: Martin Honeysett

20

doing time Elwyn Jones on life as a lifer still with us Nick Thorpe talks to King Michael I of Romania 12

18 an epistolary madness Edward Enfield stirs up trouble with some well-written letters 22 Books of the year Friends of The Oldie select their favourite reads of 2011 34 A life of song and drama John Amis talks to the renowned baritone, Sir Thomas Allen, about forty years with the Royal Opera House

38 pearls of wisdom Melanie McFadyean meets the eminent biologist and writer, Lewis Wolpert 43 In the soup Roger Lewis attempts to combat empty-nest syndrome with a weekend or two away 59 Pedants’ revolt Our new column by Jane Thynne starts with a curious usage of the word ‘so’

Come with The Oldie for a unique Taste of Burgundy See page 69