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Episode details

Radio 4,05 Oct 2026,45 mins

Author and former politician Jeffrey Archer dies aged 86

The World Tonight

Available for over a year

Archer's publisher HarperCollins said the author died "suddenly and peacefully at home" on Monday between writing sessions. His fellow former Conservative MP and friend, Gyles Brandreth tells us he’ll be remembered as “a great storyteller”. Also in the programme: As President Trump says the US moved its bombers out of RAF Fairford because of "some threats" to the base, we ask the former head of the UK’s National Counter Terrorism Security Office whether such locations can ever be fully secured. And hear from the three-year-old who may be the youngest person to hike all 214 of the Wainwright fells in the Lake District.

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