You cannot hope to bribe or twist (thank God) the British journalist.

You cannot hope to bribe or twist

(thank God) the British journalist.

But, seeing what that man will do

Unbribed, there’s no occasion to.

Humbert Wolfe, The Uncelestial City, 1930

Portrait of William Cook, author of the brilliant new thriller The Fifteenth Man.

#WilliamCook #HumbertWolfe #TheFifteenthMan #authorportrait #KodakTri-X #analogue #SpyThriller #SpyNovel #ColdWarFiction #ThrillerBooks #EspionageFiction #ModernSpyNovel #PortraitPhotography #WriterPortrait #LiteraryPortrait #BlackAndWhitePortrait #VIPERBooks #TheOldieMagazine

Portrait of William Cook © Neil Spence

Live & Let Die

Half a century on stage & screen, from Alec Guinness to Vincent Price, Sid James, the Two Ronnies and 007 (Roger Moore). The life of Madeline Smith, Bond Girl and 60's fashion model.

Thanks to my Spud Gun for standing in for a Walther PPK.

Portrait of Madeline Smith © Neil Spence

Portrait of Madeline Smith and Roger Moore © Terry O’Neill

‘All good things come to an end’

In memory of Dame Esther Rantzen, English journalist and television presenter who presented the BBC television series That's Life! for 21 years, from 1973 until 1994 and launched Child Line and The Silver Line.

She was a powerfully advocated for the legalisation of assisted dying following her stage four lung cancer diagnosis, famously stating: "If the pain becomes too much, I want a choice."

The Assisted Dying Bill she supported was recently rejected in the House of Commons by 286 votes to 270 after two years of passionate debate.

Portrait of Esther Rantzen © Neil Spence

Blaze

Bridget Riley, British Op-Artist with Blaze 1

Bridget Riley © Neil Spence

'I wouldn't be young again if you filled my bath with ass' milk'

Happy 91st birthday to the legendary Amanda Barrie, from Carry on Cleo to Coronation Street to Bad Girls.

Carry on Clio, Cleopatra

Coronation Street, with Jonny Briggs, AKA Mike Baldwin

Bad Girls, with Stephanie Beacham

Amanda Barrie at 90 © Neil Spence

How many General Gordons are there?

Got to admit to being addicted to The Rest Is History!

Portrait of historian and author Tom Holland.

Portrait of Tom Holland © Neil Spence

Bassins des Lumières

Bassins des Lumières’ exhibition of Frida Kahlo and Henri Matisse is a truly immersive and overwhelming experience. Bordeaux’s monument to the horror of German occupation is a complete sensory overload. Once up a time it was a U-Boat base, built during the occupation using slave labour. Now, walking into almost pitch-black it leaves you almost speechless, stumbling in the dark looking for your companions and wondering why there are signs saying no swimming. Then the performance begins, vivid beautiful colours blanket the vast concrete walls, reflect off the water and turn a monstrosity of the Nazi war machine into a symbol of how great humanity can be.

#BassinsDesLumières #Bordeaux #FridaKahlo #HenriMatisse #GermanOccupation #UBoatBase #Summer2026 #art #artexhibition #LightShow #culture #HorrorsOfWar #WWII #France

© Neil Spence

© Neil Spence

© Neil Spence

© Neil Spence

Edward Stourton

Very sorry to hear of the passing of Edward Stourton after a twelve year battle with prostate cancer.

Stourton had a distinguished career in broadcasting, working for the BBC and ITN. He spent nearly a decade presenting Radio 4’s flagship Today programme, presented the One O’Clock News, Any Questions, Radio 4’s Sunday and BBC One’s Panorama.
Paying tribute, his colleague from the Today Programme James Naughtie praised Stourton's "great integrity and humanity", adding that he "had a kind of infectious decency which lifted people up”

#EdwardStourton #BBCNews #BBC #Journalism #BroadcastJournalism #NewsPresenter #Broadcaster #Broadcasting #BritishJournalism #Radio4 #TodayProgramme #SundayProgramme #Journalist #Tribute #RIP #Legacy #PortraitPhotography #Portrait

Portrait of Edward Stourton © Neil Spence

A human Calling

‘We are summoned to something other than just naked opposition and rivalry. We are summoned to do something together within a world of which we are part.
What might it be to think of a model where the well-being of the human community did not depend entirely on winners and losers.’

Portrait of Rowan Williams taken for The Oldie Magazine

#RowanWilliams #BlackAndWhitePortrait#PortraitPhotography #MonochromePhotography#FineArtPortrait #BNWPhotography #CharacterPortrait#EditorialPortrait #Theologian #ArchbishopOfCanterbury#ChurchOfEngland #Anglican #PortraitVision #MoodyPortrait@theoldiemagazine

Portrait of Rowan Williams © Neil Spence 2026

"It will be Poland and not Spain, who will lead the new Europe alongside France and Germany”.

Great to see my portrait of Tim Marshall featured alongside his article for La Lectura, the weekly supplement to Spanish newspaper El Mundo.

Tim Marshall, La Lectura Magazine, image © Neil spence

“I have nightmares about being too late to read the News at Ten’

Portrait of John Suchet, journalist, broadcaster, author and presenter of ITN's flagship News at Ten for nearly 20 years.

‘Quite simply the soundtrack to my life. The 'Eroica' Symphony is like a novel. Even when you know every note, every twist and turn, Beethoven still takes you by surprise again and again. It was the 'Eroica' I blew into my ears on a midnight ferry to Beirut to cover the Lebanese civil war as an ITN reporter. The 'Eroica' inspires and uplifts, filling you with confidence and belief in yourself.’

#BlackAndWhitePortrait #JohnSuchet #MonochromePhotography #PortraitMood #ClassicBritish #StudioPortrait #VisualNarrative #TimelessFaces #PhotographyExhibition  #ClassicFM #NewsAtTen #ClassicFM #ClassicalMusic #Beethoven #BeethevenTheManRevealed @theoldiemagazine #Erotica

Portrait of John Suchet © Neil Spence

Tony Adams on My Last Drink

After England were knocked out of Euro 96, Tony Adams, the Arsenal and England captain, drowned his sorrows on an epic scale.

In this month’s Oldie magazine, former England captain, Tony Adams writes an emotional and incredibly personal account of his struggle with alcoholism. The last drink ‘… if you can’t remember your last drink, you haven’t had it.’

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Photograph of Tony Adams © Neil Spence 2026 / Text © The Oldie Magazine / Tony Adams