On the eve of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, actor Joanna Lumley and Sunday Times Royal Editor Roya Nikkhah talk to host and broadcaster Moira Stuart about the 70-year reign and extraordinary life of service of Queen Elizabeth II, from the early 1950s to the present day.
Joanna Lumley has been described as 'our most trusted national treasure'. She was born in India and grew up in England and the Far East, celebrating the Queen's coronation as a schoolgirl in Kuala Lumpur. She is a celebrated actress, a former model and Bond Girl, an author and presenter. Her varied screen credits have included Absolutely Fabulous (where she played the legendary Patsy Stone), The New Avengers, and Coronation Street. She is well known for her travel documentaries and as a political activist, including for the Gurkha Justice Campaign.
Roya Nikkhah is the Royal Editor for The Sunday Times. She has more than a decade of experience in royal coverage, breaking exclusive stories and covering major royal events, and has secured exclusive interviews with members of the royal family including the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex. Her extensive broadcasting work includes presenting the royal documentaries: Prince William, Monarch in the Making and Meghan and Harry: The Baby Years. Roya took part in the BBC coverage of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding in 2018 and of the death and funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh last year. She was also involved with presenting the BBC’s coverage of the Queen’s Birthday Parade, Trooping the Colour and the official D-Day commemorations.
Moira Stuart made TV history when she became the first Black and Caribbean female newsreader on British national television, and the appearance marked the beginning of an illustrious broadcasting career that has made her familiar to millions. This has included reading TV news on News After Noon, Sunday AM, The Andrew Marr Show and BBC Breakfast, as well as The Chris Evans Breakfast Show. Moira joined Classic FM, taking the helm for her own programmes, Moira Stuart’s Hall of Fame Concert on Saturday afternoons, and her interview show, Moira Stuart Meets…. She has also appeared in Ricky Gervais’ Extras, and has hosted and appeared in quiz shows and documentaries.