452: The Odd Couple with John Humphrys & Matthew Norman - Episode 1

John Humphrys is back! Radio Oldie is delighted to host a new podcast, The Odd Couple, sponsored by Baillie Gifford, starring the great broadcaster and Matthew Norman, Oldie columnist, formerly the Guardian diarist and Telegraph columnist. For over 30 years, from 1987 until 2019, John Humphrys was the chief presenter on Radio 4’s Today programme. Now he and Matthew, great friends - often with severe differences of opinion - lock horns for the Oldie. In the first episode, John recalls how the back-breaking poverty of his childhood in Splott, Cardiff, galvanised him to embark on his extraordinary career. And he movingly remembers being the first journalist on the horrifying scene in Aberfan 60 years ago, when a colliery spoil tip engulfed a school, killing 116 children and 28 adults. John says of his new presenting companion, ‘Matthew is one of the most gifted hacks I’ve ever met: clever, funny, staggeringly articulate and with a total conviction that he’s right about everything. Always. But is he?’ Matthew says of the new venture, ‘At this point of the calendar, it behoves us to remember that we all have a cross to bear. Working with John Humphrys is mine.’ Recording provided by Yamaha Music

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452: The Odd Couple with John Humphrys & Matthew Norman - Episode 1 is an episode from The Oldie Podcast by The Oldie Magazine Podcast.

This episode is 41:59 long.

This episode was published on Apr 2, 2026.

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