Richard Osman shares why 1987 was a pivotal year for him
He was 16-years-old
Richard Osman joined Ken Bruce on Greatest Hits Radio for Golden Years, where he revealed why 1987 was as pivotal year for him. Richard, a TV presenter and author, was just 16-years-old in 1987, and he explained how back then he wrote for sports and music magazines, while he was at school, and had a famous brother - Mat Osman from the band Suede.
Choosing songs by Aztec Camera, Pet Shop Boys and The Bangles, Richard revealed that back in 1987 he realised he wanted to do something creative, but there was no one in his family who was in the creative industries, apart from his brother.
"I was already writing," Richard said who has just released his latest novel: "So that's instead of having a Saturday job, I was writing for the NME, which is quite a nice way to make your pocket money when you're 16-years-old."
However, when Ken seemed surprised he was able to write for the publication at such a young age, Richard admitted that they didn't they know his age! After writing gig reviews for them, he was invited to London to visit the office, and he had to come clean.
Despite doing a number of different roles in his career, such as producing and presenting, writing was his first love, and Richard's work has now gone full circle as three years ago his novel The Thursday Murder Club was published.
Richard has now released his fourth novel, The Last Devil To Die, which has already become a bestseller around the world. He told Ken how the success of his novels has surprised him: "It's surprised me in one way, in that if your whole career if you have things that you think will work, and don't, and you have things that you think won't work, and do."
He continued: "This is the thing I've worked hardest at in my life, and it's the thing I'm proudest of, it's the thing that most represents my heart and my brain, I think, these books, these characters who I love.
"I thought when I was writing, it's a good idea, if I do it well, I think people will like it, but no, obviously you don't predict what's happened with it, and it's been just fabulous and in the conversations I have now with people on the street about the characters and there's a lot going on in some of the books, and people come talk to me about their lives, and around the world, you know, in America, and Japan and China, that they're reading this very, very British book, these very, very British pensioners and the sort of heroes around the world which is fantastic."
When was Richard Osman on Greatest Hits Radio?
Richard Osman joined Ken Bruce on Greatest Hits Radio on Monday 25th September. You can listen again on our website or through the free Greatest Hits Radio app.
When is Ken Bruce on Greatest Hits Radio?
You can listen to Ken Bruce every weekday between 10am and 1pm on Greatest Hits Radio.
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