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Hello and welcome to Spectator Outloud. Each week, we choose some of our favorite pieces from the magazine and ask their writers to read them aloud. I'm Oscar Edmondson and on the podcast this week.

Richard Madeley reads his diary.

Kate Andrews reads her column on how Kate Gate gripped America.

Lloyd Evans warns us never to meddle with Shakespeare.

Sam McPhail discusses how Johann Croix's philosophy changed modern football, and finally, Graham Thompson reads his arts lead, which is an interview with Roxy Music's Phil Manzanera.

Up first, Richard Madeley.

To W12 to be in W1A.

The Spoof TV series on internal BBC politics. What about vanishing rare UK television

species, a comedy that's actually funny? filmed a special episode for Red Nose Day. It poked

at genial fun at many Henry's final appearance as comic relief host after nearly 40 years of the

helm. I featured as myself,

cockily pitching for his job in front of an increasingly outraged Lenny. Richard Curtis's script was

hilarious, but filming was a surreal experience. Not because I was in the same room as the W1A cast,

all in character as appalling BBC apparatchiks, but because we really were in the same room as the W1A cast, all in character as appalling BBC apparatchiks,

but because we really were in the equivalent of W1A, the BBC's offices in Wood Lane,

Shepherds Bush, art, imitating life, imitating art. I guess it felt weird because, as anyone

who's been there will tell you, there really is a BBC atmosphere about the place.

You feel it. You almost smell it the moment you walk through the door.

...