Gyles Brandreth remembers Harold Macmillan's fall and the race to succeed him, and eventually met the great man in Oxford in 1979. Macmillan dozed throughout. Show more

Gyles has long experience as an avid theatre goer, producer and performer. He wrote Sir John Gielgud's biography, and organised the actor's 80th birthday party featuring Superman. Show more

Gyles Brandreth was a long-time associate of Kenneth Williams, an outrageous and tortured figure. He helped Frankie Howerd with his writing and Howerd made a pass at him. Show more

Gyles Brandreth's diaries are full of characters, people like Jeffrey Archer. Jeffrey was the court jester in the court of Mrs Thatcher, but thought of himself as Cardinal Wolsey. Show more

Gyles Brandreth has had long contact with the royal family. He has written books about Charles and Camilla, and the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Show more

Gyles is still at school but he is fascinated by all that is going on: The Beatles, the Profumo scandal, Macmillan's decline and the death of President Kennedy. Show more

The early 1970s. Gyles is asked to bring a youthful voice to Lord Longford's anti-porn inquiry, accompanying him on his infamous trip to 'sin city' Copenhagen - sex clubs and all. Show more

Gyles Brandreth looks back at the 80s when he was appearing on TV-am. It was also the time of a great electoral triumph for Mrs Thatcher and a scandal involving Cecil Parkinson. Show more

Gyles Brandreth completes his Five Ages recalling the 1990s, with Mrs Thatcher's downfall, John Major's victory and Brandreth's own time as a Conservative MP and government whip. Show more

Gyles Brandreth recalls the 1950s and early 60s: Standing as a Liberal in his school's mock general election; Sputnik; President John F Kennedy; and the Cuban missile crisis. Show more