Christopher Lee, author of Radio 4’s This Sceptred Isle, the story of Britain from 55 BC to 1900 – obituary
He wrote more than 200 episodes for the series, which became the BBC s best-selling audio book, and was Lord Carrington s biographer
Christopher Lee
Credit: Jim Holden / Alamy Stock Photo
Christopher Lee, who has died aged 79, was a journalist, historian, playwright and novelist, and the official biographer of Lord Carrington; he was best-known as the author of Radio 4’s This Sceptred Isle (1995-6), a compelling history of Britain that became one of the most popular series ever broadcast.
“It is history written in the old style, with a broad narrative sweep complemented by a staggering depth of knowledge,” declared the historian Andrew Roberts. When the series was released on CD and cassette it sold in the hundreds of thousands, becoming the BBC’s best-selling audio book.