Brian and Maggie is a recreation of Margaret Thatcher's final TV interview with broadcaster Brian Walden (played by Steve Coogan), which shattered their relationship. After he resigned as a Labour MP, Brian was headhunted to host a political programme which focused on longform interviews.
He forms an unlikely bond with his first guest, Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher (Harriet Walter). However, the 1989 interview would set off a chain of ramifications that would eventually lead to her resignation the following year. The story about their friendship was previously explored in James Burley's 2023 book titled Why Is This Lying B****** Lying To Me?. Now it has been turned into a Channel 4 drama which airs from January 29.
In real life, the pair bonded over their humble beginnings. Walden came from a trade background before winning a scholarship to Oxford. It took a number of attempts for him to win a seat as a Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood, but became disillusioned with the party and had even considered defecting after Thatcher was elected Conservative leader in 1975.
Instead of defecting, he resigned in 1997 and turned his attention to broadcasting, landing his own show called The Walden Interview. Thatcher and Walden had a lot in common and having both been in Parliament at the same time, they developed mutual respect for one another.
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