A glass of bubbly at Europe's longest champagne bar before skipping across to Paris for lunch: Katharine Whitehorn shows us how to grow old disgracefully.

It's a common assumption that older people must be miserable about their lot in the modern age.

But Katharine, doyenne of female columnists, loves modern travel, especially the Eurostar; she believes conveniences around the home have revolutionised the lives of women and marvels at advances in medicine that have transformed what it means to be a pensioner.

Katharine is joined in her crusade by cultural and social historian Amanda Vickery, Independent travel editor Simon Calder and Professor Tom Kirkwood from Newcastle's Institute of Aging and Health.

She battles against professional Grumpy, comedian and travel writer Tony Hawks, and tries to convince him that modern life has more ups than downs.

Producer: Martin McNamara

A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in August 2010. Show less