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Today, for our final episode of the year, I am joined by someone whose life story reads like an atlas: the actor, writer, and now podcast host, Richard E. Grant.

Born in Swaziland, now known as Eswatini, in southern Africa, Richard grew up in a world of big landscapes, no television, and endless imagination. From there he moved to London in the early 1980s, and very quickly became unforgettable figure on stage and screen - from his iconic role in Withnail & I, all the way through to Gosford Park, Jackie, Star Wars, Saltburn, and his Oscar-nominated performance in Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Throughout it all, running beneath the red carpets and film sets, there has been travel. He spent 33 summers at a beloved farmhouse in Provence with his late wife Joan, brocante shopping and watching the seasons change. He’s had close encounters with sharks while scuba diving off Mozambique, checked into seedy hotel suites in Las Vegas, and floated on the still waters of Lake Como.

And now, his travel stories telling them in a new way. Richard is the co-host, of the brilliant new podcast Hotels with History with travel pr Jules Perowne - a series that dives into the scandals, intrigue, glamour and ghosts of some of the world’s most legendary hotels.

So, sit back, pour something festive, and join me as we step inside the seven travel chapters of Richard E. Grant.

Destination Recap:

• Eswatini (Formerly Swaziland)
• London, England
• Mozambique
• Provence, France
• Masai Mara, Kenya and Tanzania
• Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
• Passalacqua, Lake Como, Italy
• Ritz Paris, France
• The Mark Hotel, Manhattan, New York, USA
• Mkhaya Game Reserve, Safari, Swaziland
• Israel
• Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), Giza, Egypt
• Space

Richard is co-host of the Hotels with History podcast, Season 1 out now

I'll be back with a new season of the podcast in the Spring.

With thanks to...

Citalia - If you’re dreaming of your own Italian adventure, visit Citalia.com to start planning today.

Naturhotel Forsthofgut – if, like many of our guests, you’re dreaming of an alpine escape rooted in harmony with nature, visit forsthofgut.at to start planning today.

Beaverbrook Hotel - Escape the everyday and discover Beaverbrook for yourself, a truly indulgent country-house retreat just outside London. Find out more and book your stay at beaverbrook.co.uk.

Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me next time, come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 165 episodes to keep you busy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to a very special festive edition of The Travel Diaries. Today I’m joined by the legendary chef, restaurateur and writer, Rick Stein.

Rick is returning to the podcast for the first time in five years, and I can’t think of a better guest to bring a little culinary sparkle to our Christmas Special.

This year, Rick is celebrating the release of his beautifully personal and utterly joyful new book, Rick Stein’s Christmas - a treasure trove of festive recipes, stories, traditions, and reflections on what this time of year really means. In our conversation, we dive into his own Christmas rituals in both Cornwall and Australia, the dishes that embody comfort and nostalgia for him, the lessons he learned while cooking - and occasionally improvising - his way through last year’s festivities, and the deeply human side of the season that he weaves into the book.

We also travel far beyond the Christmas table, hearing about Rick’s recent adventures filming in the Australian outback, the food gems he uncovered there, his newest favourite destinations, and the UK restaurants he’s loving right now.

So pour yourself something warm and cosy, settle in, and enjoy this festive journey with the wonderful Rick Stein.

Destination Recap:

• Thailand
• Australia
• The Niagara Café, Gundagai, NSW, Australia
• Île de Ré, France, France
• Riva, Barnes, London, England
• Riley’s Fish Shack, Tynemouth, England
• Porto, Portugal
• Douro Valley, Portugal
• Laigueglia, Liguria, Italy, Italy
• Hotel Windsor, Laigueglia, Liguria, Italy
• Trieste, Italy
• Tbilisi, Georgia
• Argentina
• Peru
• Brazil
• Lake Como, Italy

If you’d like to explore more of Rick’s stories, tips and recipes, his new book Rick Stein’s Christmas is out now. I

I’ll be back in a couple of weeks, on the 30th, with a very special guest to close out the year - actor and national treasure Richard E. Grant.

Until then, have a cosy, joyful Christmas, and thank you so much for listening to The Travel Diaries.

With thanks to...

Citalia - If, like Rick, you’re dreaming of your own Italian adventure, visit Citalia.com to start planning today.

Naturhotel Forsthofgut – if, like many of our guests, you’re dreaming of an alpine escape rooted in harmony with nature, visit forsthofgut.at to start planning today.

Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 15 seasons to catch up on, that's over 160 episodes to keep you busy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.