Episode Details

Neil has a most enlightening chat with Kevin Geddes about the fabulous television cook Fanny Cradock (1909-1994). Fanny has a reputation for being difficult to work with, cruel and monstrous, and that she was a fake. In this chat Kevin upturns SOME of those preconceptions. We talk about her way into radio and television, her manner and presenting style, the fantastic Christmas special, as well as her decline and fall from television cookery. Much of her life is fabricated and it is difficult to see where the real Fanny stops, and the celebrity Fanny begins.

Subscribers: don’t forget to check out the Easter Egg tab on the website to listen to the many extras from this episode: http://britishfoodhistory.com/easter-eggs/

Kevin’s book Keep Calm and Fanny On! The Many Careers of Fanny Cradock is published by Fantom https://www.fantompublishing.co.uk/product/kevin-geddes-fanny-cradock/

It’s All in the Booklet: Festive Fun with Fanny Cradock is also published by Fantom https://www.fantompublishing.co.uk/product/kevin-geddes-its-all-in-the-booklet-festive-fun-with-fanny-cradock/

Follow Kevin on Twitter and Insta @keepcalmandfannyon

Neil’s book A Dark History of Sugar is available to preorder from the publisher with a 25% discount. It is available, of course, to preorder at all other bookshops https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Sugar-Hardback/p/20481

Links to things mentioned in this episode:

British Pathe reel: Fanny and Johnnie’s savouries and cooking tips (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgrtXKcmeyU

Fanny and Johnnie at the Albert Hall (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHGSJbPz2e8

Adventurous Cooking with Fanny Cradock (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EQJ8GnDsiw

Fanny Cradock Invites… (on BBC iPlayer) https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p05rv2m9/fanny-cradock-invites-you-to-a-cheese-and-wine-party

Fanny Cradock Cooks for Christmas (on BBC iPlayer) https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p05jvgzw/fanny-cradock-cooks-for-christmas-series-1-1-fanny-cradock-cooks-for-christmas

The Big Time: Fanny’s downfall? (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW-2fclfRpI&t=1s

Fanny on TV chat show Wogan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z82EYek2-xs

Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, or have a question about the history of British food please em