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oger Bolton takes to the stage twice during this year’s festival, firstly to discuss with Michael Buerk their careers at the BBC, and also to talk about the unusual number of Carlisle students who became outstanding writers, journalists and broadcasters following the Second World War. However, the Radio 4 presenter stressed that he was here to learn as well, and looks forward to hearing what Hunter Davies and Eric Robson have to say about Carlisle’s post war flourish of writers. “I want to ask whether this could be an accident and what does it say about the Carlisle grammar school system of the time. There was a really big opening in the 60s for Northerners, who were welcomed into writing and I would like to know what Eric thinks about it, about that generation and how they saw the world. I’m here to find things out as well; about why things have happened. I want to make sure the audience get their say as well because it’s very frustrating when the audience’s questions don’t get answered.” Roger will also be speaking about his BBC career which has spanned several decades. “Me and Michael Beurk are both the same age, but we have had different career paths. He came through local journalism into the BBC and has always been in
ROGER BOLTON front of the camera. I was always behind the scenes, working as an editor but when my BBC contract was cancelled when I was about 50 I ended up making the move in front of the camera presenting. I would like to ask him about exploring current affairs news because we worked in the same period but in different ways. I would like to see his views on news presenting, and anything interesting he has to say on censorship.” “It will be really interesting to hear what he has to say about his definitive period of reporting about South Africa in the 1980s. I used to know where the front line was with regard to reporting on conflict; both sides wanted you to survive so that they could tell their tale. But now it is difficult to know where the front line is, and journalists are becoming targets.” See our middle page pull out guide to find out where you can listen to Roger at this year’s festival.
Tom Little
Tuesday 6th: 8pm – THE MAIN HOUSE
Desert Island Books The Collected Works of W.B. Yeats When I was young I travelled to Ireland and I have done a lot of professional work there. W.B. Yeats is one of the greatest people of the 20th century and I would love to travel with this collection. A Walk Around The Lakes by Hunter Davies This book allows me to follow Hunter round the lakes! The London Encyclopaedia by Ben Weinreb and Chris Hibbert This is a brilliant book, and London is a fascinating place. The Blue Flower by Penelope Fitzgerald She is a genius who only started writing novels at sixty and in this one she creates a very strange intriguing atmosphere. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy I’ve never read it but it’s a very long one so it would keep me busy on the desert island for a while, and its length makes it excellent toilet paper for afterwards as well.