Big Guest Thursday Murder Club
Scott replaced Big Guest Friday with a one-off Big Guest Thursday Murder Club special.
Richard Osman joined stars Pierce Brosnan, Celia Imrie and Sir Ben Kingsley to discuss the film adaptation of his bestselling novel.
Richard Osman
Richard reflected on watching characters that had existed in his head become physical performances.
He discussed the process of adapting the book, the need to compress the story and the strange experience of handing creative control to filmmakers.
Scott asked about the casting and whether any actor had changed the way Richard now imagined a character.
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan discussed joining the ensemble and the pleasure of playing inside a mystery that combined crime with friendship and humour.
Scott inevitably raised James Bond, describing Pierce as “my Bond”, but kept the main conversation focused on the new film.
Pierce reflected on working with an experienced cast and the balance between comedy and genuine danger.
Celia Imrie
Celia Imrie discussed the comic precision required by the film and the importance of playing eccentric situations completely straight.
The conversation moved into Acorn Antiques, with Scott and the guests remembering ringing telephones, lines spoken over one another and deliberately visible production mistakes.
Celia explained that the humour worked because performers committed to the scene rather than signalling the joke.
Sir Ben Kingsley
Sir Ben Kingsley completed the group and reflected on ensemble acting, character detail and the pleasure of entering a story with a strong emotional centre.
The guests discussed age, friendship and why the characters should never be treated as harmless simply because they lived in a retirement community.
Regular features
The Good Morning Minute and Pause for Thought remained in the programme before the extended guest hour.
28 August 2025: the handover
The handover reviewed one of the largest casts assembled in the Breakfast Show studio.
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