The Sooty Show (7th January 1987). Sweep - upset that the others have been ignoring him recently - decides to pretend he's very, very depressed (writing everything down in a book entitled 'Sweep's master plan for more ATTENTION').

In a couple of weeks I’ll be in the beautiful Great Hall at Hay Castle, in conversation with Francine Stock! Please join us if you can, digging into my work and the classical world… There will be a book signing afterwards! 🏰 www.haycastletrust.org/m-1-hay-cast...

Delighted that my next novel Richard Heart Julianne will be coming out on the mighty @ofmooseandmen.bsky.social next year. Hope you enjoy it. I loved writing it.

Divine Fury: Demeter and Persephone Episode 1: The Abduction OUT NOW! 🏛️✨ Click here: access.historyhit.com/videos/divin...

John Lennon Ringo Starr The #Beatles A Hard Day’s Night

So many memories bound up with these Brooke Bond tea card booklets Artist: CF Tunnicliffe

You guys were so fabulous in the autumn, I added more live events! Would love to see all of you in person; let's talk classics & books... Details and tickets on my website: nataliehaynes.com/tour/ ✨

Ever relevant, this poem by Mary Oliver, especially today.

Woohoo! Number one!! 🕺 Thanks for having me, @historyrage.bsky.social

Just watched Ep 1 of this magnificent tale of a mother’s enduring love and relentless search for her daughter told by the rock goddess herself @nataliehaynes.bsky.social Run don’t walk to History Hit. Natalie tells this story like no one else can.

If you have ANY interest in the London poor of the late 19thC or even if you don’t, I highly recommend any courses by @misssarahwise.bsky.social

The mastery of artist Harry Wingfield. ‘Dates’ A box on the coffee table is a Ladybird Christmas essential. (Fifth Picture Book, 1973)

Merry Christmas VT (from the Secret Story of the BBC Christmas Tapes, tx 23rd December 2018)

New #StrongMessageHere is up. @nataliehaynes.bsky.social and I discuss our words and phrases of the year. And I’m compared by AI to a kangaroo.

Christmas party time for our animals. Our donkeys wanted to escape and do a toast run

Amazing achievements by Bluemoose, a publisher with only one full-time employee.

I’ve been invited to be part of this speakers series starting at the top of 2026. More information at www.playmepodcast.com

It’s National Maple Syrup Day, and we couldn’t resist shining the spotlight on our very own Maple! Since arriving at the DSC in March 2025, Maple has shown us just how sweet she is (fitting name, right?). Happy Maple Syrup Day from Maple — no tapping required

Today only! No Friend to This House is 99p on Kindle. If you use Kindle for accessibility reasons or travel, or can’t afford the hardback this year, this is your chance! 👉 www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DPX5CLD...

Maenad (to Dionysus): my very small panther farts in your general direction. @nataliehaynes.bsky.social Royal Ontario Museum

WATCH: This happens everyday and it’s a disgrace. Doug Ford never has the guts to get up and answer my questions.

🤫 Pssst: did you want a signed special indie edition with sprayed edges for a Christmas gift? They’re almost all gone, but we have just heard there are a few copies at @citybookshove.bsky.social! They ship everywhere, but get in there quickly… www.city-books.co.uk/products/pre...

Happy December Birthdays to Pippin, Heather, and Josh! We’re celebrating three wonderful donkeys this month, and we hope you’ll join us in sending them all the warm birthday wishes they deserve! Each of these donkeys brings so much joy to the sanctuary!

A 14-year-old girl getting her hair straightened with an iron before a night out with friends, 1964

On this day in 1960, the first episode of Coronation Street was broadcast live from the Granada Studios at 7.00 pm.

Ricky Gervais donates £2.5million to animal charities

My new memoir ‘Phone Charger: My Life Walking to the Bedroom to Fetch Something But Forgetting What It Was By the Time I Get There, Then Walking Back To See If Anything in the Front Room Jogs My Memory, Then Repeating It to Myself While I Walk Back to the Bedroom’ is out next year.

That’s right! Podcast out now…

Audio recording of the Beatles on Juke Box Jury (7th December 1963) youtu.be/xmS9G_EpcNQ?...

A soft, small, hopeful thing.

www.msf.org/bringing-med... “Fleeing war and leaving their homes behind add a serious toll on people’s mental health. We see a lot of patients who suffer from anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder due to their pasts.” #Sudan

The wait continues - the change of use application for SHT is not on the agenda for the 9th December Lambeth Planning Meeting. However, this means you can still email the Council with your objections - information here: https://streathamhilltheatre.org/campaign

I am really missing the posts of @lissakevans.bsky.social. I do hope all is well. Anyone in touch?

Both do incredible work, I’m so pleased to be able to support them myself, and to bring them to the attention of others 💖📖 N.B. T-shirt is a unisex size L, originally printed for promotional purposes.

Remembering Tom Stoppard (1937–2025), speaking here at Hay Festival 2010.

Live now!

Solve your Christmas gift worries - and support our cause - with a copy of our history book or a set of our Christmas Cards (or both!). Visit our shop page here - https://streathamhilltheatre.org/support/shop

I had a lovely time chatting with @adamrutherford.bsky.social, Oyinkan Braithwaite and Mick Herron about all things books last night! 📚 @hayfestival.bsky.social ❄️

A show-stopping ending. Actor Jonathan Pryce lightens the Slow Horses discussion.

Today’s Online Pass schedule. Join us! www.hayfestival.org/onlinepass

Live now!

Live now!

Live now!

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦... Poet Nikita Gill reads from Hekate.

🚨 On your radios at 9:45 🚨 I’m back on Armando Iannucci’s Strong Message Here, with Stewart Lee! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m... Long version will be available as a podcast on BBC Sounds…

Our lamb squirrel growing fast under the watchful eye of mum Midnight

🏺🎄NATALIE HAYNES’ CLASSICIST CHRISTMAS LIST 2025🎄🏺 We’ve got seven pages of gift ideas for the classics enthusiast in your life. First is BOOKS, of course - from your local bookseller, if possible! Which would you pick? Next up: toys & games…

I've written a big piece for the Observer about the Big C. Would be lovely if you find time to read it sometime and feel free to share. observer.co.uk/news/opinion...