Episode details

Radio 4,18 Oct 2025,56 mins
Peter James, Hedgelaying, Prosthetics, and Philippa Gregory's Inheritance Tracks
Saturday LiveAvailable for over a year
Peter James is one of the UK's bestselling authors who's Detective Grace series now hosts Queen Camila in a staring role, by Royal request, in his latest novel "The Hawk is Dead". But this isn't his first familial involvement with the Royal family, as his mother was the official glovemaker to Queen Elizabeth II. Jim Ashworth-Beaumont was a former army veteran and skilled prosthetics expert - until one day a dramatic crash with a lorry, whilst out cycling, left him needing his own expertise. Elizabeth Ashdown is one of only 4 remaining passementerie artists in the UK – a trade that creates elaborate decorative trimmings, such as tassels and trim for the clothing of Kings and furnishings of stately homes. Also, someone else who is keeping ancient heritage skills alive is Russell Parker who comes to us LIVE from the Cotswold Hedgelaying championships to tell us all about the craft. All that...plus the Inheritance Tracks of Philippa Gregory. Presenter: Adrian Chiles Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producer: Lowri Morgan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Colin Patterson
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