The Oldie Magazine

The magazine was founded in 1992 by Richard Ingrams best known for his role in creating and editing Private Eye, a satirical and current affairs magazine. Ingrams envisioned The Oldie as a publication that would speak to an older audience, providing a counter-narrative to the youth-centric focus prevalent in most media outlets. While working on Private Eye, Ingrams observed a gap in the market for intelligent and witty writing catering to the interests of an older generation. His idea was to offer a mix of humour, nostalgia, and insightful commentary set against a backdrop of polished journalism. The magazine was launched with a team of experienced journalists and contributors, including luminaries such as Auberon Waugh, who was appointed as the first literary editor. It aimed to provide readers with a blend of features, cartoons, and columns on a diverse range of subjects such as history, music and literature. The magazine quickly found its niche with a readership that appreciated its charming and often irreverent take on ageing, alongside its opposition to the prevalent ageism found in mainstream publications. The magazine has since grown steadily, establishing itself as a beloved fixture within British media, celebrated for its unique voice and dedication to chronicling the richness and complexities of later life.

Celebrated contributors include distinguished writers such as Gyles Brandreth, who offers whimsical yet insightful reflections on life and the peculiarities of the human condition. Similarly, Virginia Ironside, agony aunt and author brings her considerable experience and humour to bear on the rather underestimated pleasures of ageing, while contributors like the late A.A. Gill, (1954-2016) have left an indelible mark through his incisive commentaries. Artists and illustrators whose works have been published in the magazine include Bill Tidy and Terence Park, better known as 'Larry'.