Consuming Passions
Consuming Passions is Country Life's regular interview slot, in which Lotte Brundle speaks to the great and the good about their favourite things.
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Dame Prue Leith: ‘I won't say we were rolling drunk, but we were definitely tight’The former ‘Bake Off’ star tells Lotte Brundle about growing old, her burgeoning friendship with Blake Lively and the advice Mary Berry gave her about Paul Hollywood.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall: ‘Nettles, grey squirrels and the occasional placenta? I’m relaxed about that’Lotte Brundle talks to the celebrity chef about getting sacked from his job at the River Cafe, chowing down on some placenta and what she’s done wrong with her tomatoes.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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Cariad Lloyd: ‘What I would like people to get from me is a Moomin vibe’The writer, actor and comedian talks about discussing grief on the toilet, raunchily re-writing Jane Austen and the importance of championing women’s writing with Lotte Brundle.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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Marcus Wareing: ‘I’ve sacrificed more than any other chef’The MasterChef host and celebrity chef talks to Lotte Brundle.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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Clodagh McKenna on living next door to the real Downton Abbey, meeting her husband at Fortnum & Mason’s and forest bathingLotte Brundle meets the celebrity chef and TV personality.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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‘He approached death as the next part he was going to play’: Gregory Doran on life after the death of his husbandThe former artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare company set out on a worldwide search for all of Shakespeare’s first folios after his husband died four years ago. Lotte Brundle pulls up the curtain on his consuming passions.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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‘I have no concept of anyone who's like me. Now, that's either because I'm such an egomaniac that I am sort of completely self obsessed, or … because I haven’t watched enough films’: Monty Don’s consuming passionsMonty Don swerves questions with the abundant charisma that made him a ‘Gardener’s World’ darling.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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‘I try to offset that sense of boring normality by playing bass in a punk rock band with Robert Peston and Ed Balls’: John Wilson’s consuming passionsBest known for BBC Radio 4’s ‘This Cultural Life’, John Wilson is used to asking celebrities about their cultural inspirations. Lotte Brundle turns the tables.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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‘Being a jeweller, you have to keep on top of the news, because you're affected so much by the price of gold': Sheherazade Goldsmith’s consuming passionsThe founder of Loquet on her fashion house inspirations, taking a sabbatical to study investigative journalism, and the trinkets she holds dear.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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Sarah Raven: ‘I find nature very inspiring and reassuring, when things are feeling a bit dire in the world and we have world wars’The gardener and writer on her love of Cretan wild flowers, why she quit her job as a doctor, her husband’s grandmother Vita Sackville-West — and her consuming passions.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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Eve Myles: ‘You wouldn't believe how many Emily Blunt pictures get sent to me to sign’The Torchwood actor on meeting Linda Hamilton, being the 'best-kep secret in Wales', the book that inspired her to get into acting — and her consuming passions.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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'My husband gave me a pendant full of melted snow from the top of Everest': Bridgerton's Julia Quinn on romantic gestures and her consuming passionsThe author on series four of the Netflix smash hit, why she feels the need to speak out about America’s politics and meeting Dame Jilly Cooper.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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'I do write in and say they should have more about farming': Zandra Rhodes on The Archers, getting arrested and making clothes for Freddie MercuryLotte Brundle meets the 85-year-old fashion designer in her vibrant apartment above the Fashion and Textile Museum in London.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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‘I’m like: “Give me those tights, let me show you”: Ballet superstar Carlos Acosta’s consuming passionsBorn one of 11 children in a Cuban slum, it’s been 36 years since Carlos Acosta’s career as an internationally famous dancer formally began. Lotte Brundle meets him at the Birmingham Royal Ballet, where he is the director.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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‘I don't consider myself to be a nepo baby at all’: Caroline Avedon on preserving her grandfather's legacy — and her consuming passionsCaroline initially wanted to be a lawyer, but now that she works for Richard Avedon’s foundation, she can’t imagine doing anything else, finds Lotte Brundle.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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'The Taylor Swift effect? We've never experienced anything like it': Jeweller Cece Fein-Hughes' consuming passionsCece Jewellery's signature signet rings are beloved by the famous and fabulous — including Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi and Taylor Swift. Lotte Brundle meets the woman behind the jewellery.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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‘I thought I was going to be sick. I was very nervous about MasterChef’: Monica Galetti’s consuming passionsThe professional chef talks to Lotte Brundle about food, family and how fame came calling.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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‘I wasn’t really sure that I wanted to be a ballet dancer’: The English National Ballet's prima ballerina on playing Clara in The Nutcracker and her consuming passionsLotte Brundle meets Ivana Bueno, who is dancing the role of Clara in The Nutcracker this year at the London Coliseum.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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‘I have an obsession with having a good time’: Fred Sirieix on his newfound love of gardening, moving to the UK and his consuming passionsLotte Brundle chats to the French Maître d'hôtel, best known for bringing his charming hospitality to Channel 4’s First Dates and for his antics with Gordon Ramsay and Gino D'Acampo.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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Mark Gatiss: ‘BBC Two turned down The League of Gentlemen six times’The actor and writer tells Lotte Brundle about his latest Christmas ghost story, discovering Benedict Cumberbatch — and his consuming passions.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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‘I 100% always knew that I was going to do something creative’: Petra Palumbo on her design house, love of Scotland and consuming passionsThe London ‘It Girl’ turned Scotland-based designer makes tiles with men’s torsos and Henry hoovers on them, has a pug called Raisin and is married to the 16th Lord Lovat Simon Fraser. She chats to Lotte Brundle.
By Lotte Brundle Published


